Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny

[GeneChing]

Weinstein Co Readying ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Sequel For May Start (http://www.deadline.com/2013/01/weinstein-co-readying-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sequel-for-may-start/)
By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday January 24, 2013 @ 5:39pm

EXCLUSIVE: The Weinstein Company has set a May production start in Asia on a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. There is a script by John Fusco, and TWC is in talks with veteran Chinese director Ronny Yu. Harvey Weinstein is producing.

The new film is derived from the same source material as the Ang Lee-directed 2000 film that won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and three other Academy Awards. Lee isn’t involved in this one, which is based on Silver Vase, Iron Knight. That is the fifth book in the Crane-Iron Pentalogy by Wang Du Lu. Crouching Tiger was the fourth book in the series. Fusco, whose credits include Spirit, Hidalgo and The Forbidden Kingdom, is an avid follower of Wu Sia, the centuries-old genre of Chinese fiction that this series is part of.

“This was an opportunity to explore a lifelong passion I’ve had for Wu Sia, and if there wasn’t continuing source material, I would never have gotten involved,” Fusco told me.

The sequel continues to revolve around Yu Shu Lien, the character played in the original by Michelle Yeoh. It’s not immediately clear yet which actors will reprise, but some likely will. “This introduces a new generation of star-crossed lovers, and a new series of antagonists in a battle of good and evil. It has a Knights Errant quality. There is an alternate universe in the books, a martial forest that exists alongside the real world, full of wandering sword fighters, medicine men, defrocked priests, poets, sorcerers and Shaolin renegades. It’s so vast and rich, and I found characters from the second and third books in the series to create a most interesting stew while being as true to the source material as I could be.”

TWC and Sony had battled several years ago over the rights to the books left behind by the author, who died in 1977. Reports quoted his son, Hong Wang, saying his family made very little money from the original film, and that they went out to make another deal. TWC feels it walked away with those theatrical rights and is going ahead with its film, which has a budget north of $20 million.

Casting will get underway after the director signs, and for his part Fusco expects a return from Wo Ping Yuen, the legendary fight choreographer responsible from the high wire action work in the original. They worked together on Forbidden Kingdom (pictured). Fusco separately scripted Marco Polo for Electus/Weinstein Co and Starz, as well as the feature Highwaymen, which has John Lee Han**** attached to direct a retelling of the Bonnie & Clyde story from the vantage point of Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, who was called out of retirement to head the manhunt. Liam Neeson is eyeing that role. He also adapted the rise of Elvis Presley pic Last Train To Memphis for Fox 2000 and Steve Bing, based on the Peter Guralnick novel. Fusco’s repped by UTA.
Here's my CTHD index post (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1028259#post1028259) in regards to archived threads on this forum.

[doug maverick]

so i guess we can call this the biggest news in kung fu movie news, since the original CTHD, was the biggest wuxia movie ever...i guess ang lee sold the rights to the weinstein bros.


Weinstein Co. Begins Production on 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Sequel in May
http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sequel-begins-production-in-may
by Beth Hanna
January 25, 2013 12:54 PM

http://www.indiewire.com/static/dims4/INDIEWIRE/b119adc/4102462740/thumbnail/680x478/http://d1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net/9f/767c20671611e29dc322000a1d0930/file/Zhang-Ziyi-Chang-Chen-in-Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon.jpg

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"
The Weinstein Company will reportedly start production in May on a sequel to Ang Lee's Oscar-winning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Lee is not returning to helm the film; directing reins will instead go to veteran Chinese director Ronny Yu.

The sequel is based on the same source material as the original, Wang Du Lu's "The Crane-Iron Pentology." John Fusco penned the new script; Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus and Kuo Jung Tsai shared writing credits on the original "Crouching Tiger" screenplay.

Deadline reports that it's unclear which actors from the original, if any, will reprise their roles. Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh and Chang Chen toplined. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" won four Oscars in 2001: Best Foreign-Language Film, Cinematography, Art Direction and Original Score.

Lee's "Life of Pi" is currently nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and Visual Effects.

[GeneChing]

But we'll see soon enough, I imagine.


Wednesday, January 30, 2013
[2013.01.31] MICHELLE YEOH CHALLENGES CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON 2 (http://hktopten.blogspot.com/2013/01/20130131-michelle-yeoh-challenges.html)
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/entertainment/20130131/photo/0131-00282-071b1.jpg?t=1359581590276
courtesy of mingpao.com

Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King), Jang Dong-Gun, Yao Chen, Zhang Jingchu, Pace Wu (Ng Pui Chi) yesterday attended a BVLGARI jewelry event in Beijing. Yeung Chi King and Jang Dong-Gun host the lighting ceremony then spoke with the media. Yeung Chi King revealed that lately she is in negotiation for CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON 2 but she cannot reveal any detail yet. If all goes well it will be truly an enormous challenge for her because the last film was released 13 years ago and a box office and critical hit. It was also the first Chinese film to win the Best Foreign Film Oscar.

[doug maverick]

unless its a sequel and not a prequel then its all good..but if they go for a prequel i would actually not cast her(i know i know sacrilege) but a younger actress would be more appropriate.. but if they go for a sequel it should focus more on zhang ziyi's character. lets see where this goes... so far ill be honest...im not impressed with john Fuscos writing. but i cant honestly judge him from just one movie...especially one that was geared toward teens. lets see how he does with a more adult themed project. i would have really like to see szeto kam yuen(i think thats how its spelled) write the script... (writer behind, SPL, flashpoint, Dog bite Dog and the upcoming monkey king) i really dig his dark and dizzying writing. plus it would ensure the film would be in chinese... this film will probably be in broken english..id rather just hear the native tongue instead of trying to decipher what the hell people are saying.

[GeneChing]

That would be a major game changer for this project.

Monday, 11 March 2013 17:45
Donnie Yen may star in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon sequel (http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/celebrity/buzz/asia/donnie-yen-may-star-in-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sequel)
The Hong Kong action star has been offered a role in the sequel to Ang Lee’s internationally-acclaimed film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

A sequel to director Ang Lee’s internationally-acclaimed film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has been confirmed, and Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen is being considered for the male lead.

According to the Hong Kong media, renown Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein had bought the rights for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and filming for the sequel will begin middle of this year.

It was also the production team’s plan to invite Donnie to star in the film and talks between the two parties are underdoing.

If the deal goes through, Donnie will be acting alongside lead actress Michelle Yeoh. Donnie’s role in the sequel is said to replace Chow Yun Fat’s character who died in the first film.

Although Ang Lee had declined to direct the sequel, the production company is still trying to persuade him to take on the role of producer instead.

When reporters contacted Donnie to confirm his casting, he initially appeared surprised that they had caught wind of the news so quickly, but admitted that the production company has approached him and both parties are in discussions.

On the possibility of accepting the role in the sequel, Donnie said, “I would certainly consider carefully, but there are two things that I am concerned about: firstly, my schedule for the year is really packed, and secondly, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is considered a classic so I feel pressured if I were to act in its sequel.”

He declined to comment on how much he is being offered for the role, saying it is a “secret”.

[Zenshiite]

They've certainly got plenty to work with as I believe CTHD is the third book in the Iron-Crane Pentology.

[doug maverick]

if donnie gets involved, then im interested..he has a good relationship with harvey weinstein, so im sure its just a matter of hitting the right $ number to make it all happen. i hope they get sammo to do the choreagraphy.. it seems to be the only time donnies ego is curbed is when Dai lo Dai. is behind the camera.

[GeneChing]

Caffeinated Clint March 18, 2013 Movie News
Yen confirms <i>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</i> rumours (http://moviehole.net/201362831yen-confirms-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-rumours)

Donnie Yen (“Ip Man”, “The Monkey King”) has confirmed rumours he’s been offered a role in the recently announced “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” prequel.

“I will of course think about it, but there are two things that make me hesitate”, China.org.cn quoted the martial-arts proficient actor, saying. “The first is that my schedule this year is very packed. The second is that the first film is already such a classic. I am afraid of the pressure, that the original cannot be surpassed.”

Yen is said to have been offered HKD 50 million to join Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role from the original, for the sequel.

Directors said to be in the mix include David Thwaites and Ronny Yu.

The follow-up, to be produced by “Crouching Tiger” director Ang Lee and housed at The Weinstein Company, would be based on the fourth book in Wang Du Lu’s literary series, “Iron Knight-Silver Vase”.

Here’s a summary of “Iron Knight-Silver Vase” from :

“This introduces a new generation of star-crossed lovers, and a new series of antagonists in a battle of good and evil. It has a Knights Errant quality. There is an alternate universe in the books, a martial forest that exists alongside the real world, full of wandering sword fighters, medicine men, defrocked priests, poets, sorcerers and Shaolin renegades. It’s so vast and rich, and I found characters from the second and third books in the series to create a most interesting stew while being as true to the source material as I could be.”

“Iron Knight-Silver Vase” was previously reported to be getting underway in May, with a 2014 release planned.

That's a horrid title. :rolleyes:

[PalmStriker]

Great to hear of sequel/Donnie Yen. Terrible new title. They should let us name it and poll the selections for the best.

[doug maverick]

Great to hear of sequel/Donnie Yen. Terrible new title. They should let us name it and poll the selections for the best. My entry : Dragon Rests on Mountain. :)

thats not the new title. thats the title of the book, the story is based off.

[PalmStriker]

As long as they keep the CTHD people will go to the show to see it. Many people went originally based on reviews and, of course awards but for another installment, will take a pass because it wasn't their kind of movie. "The Adventures of Remo Williams" was the worst name for a movie directly based on "THE DESTROYER" novels, which was a kick$ASS title for a movie and would have set it up for numerous sequels and box office bucks. They also should have had a martial artist play Remo. The Master's role worked using a non-Asian accomplished actor. Fred Ward went on to kick ass in the "TREMORS" movies with Kevin Bacon. :)

[doug maverick]

wow so the game just got stepped up for this movie.. donnie yen and yuen woo ping... read carefully.. donnie yen and yuen woo ping.. this is huge on a whole nother level.. the master and student reunite!!





http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/37584/Crouching_Tiger_Hidden_Dragon_37584.jpg

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-Sequel-Really-Happening-Michelle-Yeoh-Back-37584.html


Even with The Hangover Part III and Fast and Furious 6 making their way to theaters next weekend, this might be the most ridiculous sequel news we've heard all year. Without director Ang Lee or nearly all of the original cast, the Weinstein Company is moving forward with a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Oscar-nominated, fantastical martial arts drama released all the way back in 2000. According to The Hollywood Reporter Michelle Yeoh will be the sole cast member to reprise her role, and the directing duties will be taken over by Yuen Wo Ping.

We first learned about these sequel plans in late January, back when Freddy vs. Jason director Ronny Yu was in talks to direct and Yuen Wo Ping was merely on board as a fight choreographer. And to be fair, the original Crouching Tiger was based on a book in a series by Wang Du Lu, and this new one-- called Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II-- The Green Destiny-- will be based on the fifth and final book in the series, called Iron Knight, Silver Vase. Donnie Yen, a martial arts icon and star of the Ip Man films (and once offered a role in The Expendables 2, for what that's worth)-- is on board in the male role of Silent Wolf.

If you're wondering why Crouching Tiger is getting a sequel now, 14 years after the original film came out, the answer is pretty simple: China. That enormous country has become increasingly important to Hollywood studios, to the point that they're willing to add in entire subplots or change a film's villains to keep Chinese censors and audiences happy. The Weinstein Company is smart to want to make a movie that ought to have immense appeal over there-- and a lot of curiosity from the art house audiences around here who usually see Weinstein Company fare. Is it a bizarrely long time to wait for a sequel? Absolutely. But ****ed if we're not curious anyway.

[GeneChing]

Of course Z is in talks. She's riding the Grandmaster (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53227) promos now, as is CTHD2.

Ziyi Zhang in talks for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' sequel -- EXCLUSIVE (http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/08/20/ziyi-zhang-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sequel-exclusive/)
By Laura Hertzfeld on Aug 20, 2013 at 8:32PM @laurahertzfeld

Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang is in talks to reprise her role as badass warrior apprentice Jen Yu in the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which will begin shooting in March 2014.

A source close to the film says Zhang’s part would be shot as flashbacks to explain what happened to her character. As previously announced by The Weinstein Company, Michelle Yeoh will return as Yu Shu Lien and Donnie Yen will star as Silent Wolf in the sequel, titled Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon — The Green Destiny. Yuen Wo Ping will direct; Ang Lee directed the original, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2000. John Fusco is writing the screenplay, based on Iron Knight, Silver Vase by Wang Du Lu, book 5 in the Crane-Iron Pentalogy series on which the original film is based.

Ping and Zhang also recently teamed up for Wong Kar-wai’s upcoming film The Grandmaster, opening August 23, which Ping choreographed.

[mawali]

Takeshi Kaneshiro would be a great cast addition!

[GeneChing]

Andy instead? ouch.

CROUCHING TIGER 2: Donnie Yen Out? Andy Lau In? TWC Says, "Nope." (http://twitchfilm.com/2014/01/crouching-tiger-2-donnie-yen-out-andy-lau-in.html)
Todd Brown, Founder and Editor

The Weinstein Company have issued an official statement about this:

Los Angeles, CA (January 16, 2014)
David Thwaites, producer of the CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON sequel and Harvey Weinstein, Co Chairman of The Weinstein Company issued the following statement: "The article that appeared in Apple Daily regarding our Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel is unequivocally false.

From the moment Crouching Tiger became a reality at The Weinstein Company we designed the project around Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh.

No other offers were ever made to anyone else and we're thrilled to have such
icons in our film. We look forward to the start of production in 2014."


Troublesome news from Hong Kong for fans of Donnie Yen:

Apple Daily are reporting that Yen has priced himself out of the running for the upcoming sequel to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and backers The Weinstein Company have moved off of Yen as their choice to fill the lead role and moved on to Andy Lau, who Apple says can be had for 10 million RMB (about $165k in US dollars) less.

Now, it should be noted that Apple has not historically been the most reliable of sources and this could all very well be a negotiating tactic - $165k is certainly significant but seems a low number to be a total deal breaker - but there you have it. There is now word of any change regarding Michelle Yeoh - slated to reprise her role from the original - or Yuen Woo Ping, who is slated to direct.

[PalmStriker]

Like Andy Lau a lot. Prefer his acting abilities over Yen. This is going to be good! :D:):D:) More convincing in emotional conflict, Donnie's expressions all too often stoic, Andy always has something cooking under his brow. http://my.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/andy-lau-sacks-bodyguard-injuring-wife-035400137.html

[PalmStriker]

Although.... :D http://www.jaynestars.com/movies/harvey-weinstein-denies-andy-lau-will-replace-donnie-yen-in-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-2/

[Jimbo]

I agree that Andy Lau is far more accomplished as a dramatic actor, but Donnie is equally better than Andy at handling action scenes. It would be a tough call, really. But to be honest, I'd rather see Donnie in it. I'd like to see how he and Yuen Woo-Ping reunite. This time, with Yuen as the actual director, there may be the chance for more and better action, even though it's most likely to be dominated by wire work and CGI. In the original, none of the main stars were actual MAists.

Donnie is nearing the end of his career in front of the camera. I can foresee Andy Lau continuing to act for a long, long time to come.

[doug maverick]

it was already released by the weinstein co. that not only is donnie still on board the movie was designed as a vehicle for him and nobody else is will be slated in.

[GeneChing]

it was already released by the weinstein co. that not only is donnie still on board the movie was designed as a vehicle for him and nobody else is will be slated in. That statement was in my original news post. We shall see.

[doug maverick]

the deal is done...and like i said donnie is still on board..signed sealed and soon to be delivered.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/04/china-superstar-donnie-yen-signs-with-caa-closes-deal-for-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-ii/

[GeneChing]

I'll swap the title to Green Destiny later, as it gets closer.

20 April 2014 Last updated at 12:09 ET
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon prequel to be filmed (http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27097413)

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/74345000/jpg/_74345409_rexfeatures_1566900a.jpg
Michelle Yeoh The original is the most successful Chinese-language film of all time

Filming on a prequel to Oscar-winning martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will start in July

Titled The Green Destiny, the movie will see Michelle Yeoh reprise her role as female warrior Yu Shu Lien.

Pre-production is believed to have begun. Filming is due to start in Auckland, New Zealand, with two further weeks of shooting in China.

Yuen Woo-ping, who co-ordinated the action scenes in the original, will step behind the camera for the prequel.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon remains the most successful Chinese-language film of all time, making $213.5m (£127m) on its release in 2000.

It won the best foreign-language Oscar the following year, with three more awards in the technical categories.
Ang Lee accepts his Oscar in 2001 Ang Lee won the first of three Oscars for the original

Part of the reason for the film's success was that it operated on many different levels. It was a love story, a martial arts fantasy with a feminist twist and an historical epic set against a backdrop of spectacular locations in China.

Director Ang Lee also employed sophisticated technology that enabled the characters to perform gravity-defying stunts, drawing in fans of the previous year's box office hit, The Matrix.

But plans for a prequel were delayed by a row over the film rights to Wang Du Lu's novels, on which the film was based.

Columbia Pictures claimed it had struck a deal with the late writer's son in 2005. He denied this, and said he had signed an agreement with The Weinstein Company, another US studio.

With the case resolved, The Weinstein Company is pushing ahead with the prequel, choosing New Zealand as a location thanks to a generous production incentive that offers filmmakers a 20% rebate on money spent in the country.

The Green Destiny draws on the fifth book in Wang's series, Silver Vase, Iron Night.

"This introduces a new generation of star-crossed lovers, and a new series of antagonists in a battle of good and evil," screenwriter John Fusco told movie website Deadline last year.

Although Fusco is known for US blockbusters such as Young Guns I and II, he also penned The Forbidden Kingdom for Jet Li and Jackie Chan in 2008.

The film, which drew on the writer's own martial arts training, broke opening day box office records in China.

[GeneChing]

Interesting pick. Here's our thread on The-Rebel (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48477-The-Rebel)


Charlie Nguyen Joins CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON 2 As Action Director (http://twitchfilm.com/2014/05/charlie-nguyen-joins-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-2-as-action-director.html)
Trung Rwo, Writer

http://twitchfilm.com/assets_c/2014/05/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-duel-thumb-630xauto-48213.jpg

Right after the wrap of his new comedy Let Hoi Decide, Vietnamese media are reporting that The Rebel director Charlie Nguyen flew to New Zealand to work as the action director for the sequel of Oscar-winning martial art film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Former action director Yuen Woo-ping - originally doing double duty as both director and action choreographer - was initially reported to continue his work as choreographer with Nguyen just joining as additional pre-production support. But now it appears that Yuen has stepped away from the fight choreography role with Nguyen taking over on that front completely.

Michelle Yeoh will return to her roles, together with Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse in the leads. There's no official news about other cast, so it appears Zhang Ziyi, Chow Yun-Fat and Chang Chen may not come back.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny is scheduled to release in 2015.

[GeneChing]

Too bad. Donnie can play good villains.

Donnie Yen is not the villain in "The Green Destiny" (https://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/donnie-yen-not-villain-green-destiny-090100384.html)
By Heidi Hsia | From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo Newsroom – Mon, Aug 4, 2014 5:01 PM SGT

https://s3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/e6p2ykwkDbzfCD_XrvJLRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zMDA7cT03NTt3PTQwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_MY/News/YBrandCinemaOnline/7cn_donnieyenisnot00.jpg

4 Aug – The producers of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II – The Green Destiny" recently clarified rumours saying that Donnie Yen will be playing a villain in the movie.
As reported on Tencent, the Hong Kong media previously reported that Donnie, who recently went to New Zealand to begin filming for the movie, will play an antagonist instead of the lead in the movie.
However, both the production crew and Donnie himself dismissed the reports as false, saying that the actor will indeed play a hero in the movie and will maintain his positive image.
As one of the biggest martial arts stars of his era, the production said that Donnie was offered to play the lead role by Weinstein Company's very own Harvey Weinstein and that the company had never considered anybody else.

[GeneChing]

I've been anticipating Shum to go into martial arts films. He's very physically adept....and Asian. Just seems natural. He's been dabbling in some action/martial arts web flicks.


‘Glee’ Star Joins Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh In “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2’ (http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/32592/20140810/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sequel-glee.htm)
By Staff Writer | Aug 10, 2014 11:34 AM EDT

http://images.kdramastars.com/data/images/full/68772/glee-harry-shum-jr.jpg?w=600
Glee Harry Shum Jr
(Photo : Facebook)

The sequel to Oscars Best Foreign Film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has new cast to join "Ip Man" star Donnie Yen and "True Legends" actress Michelle Yeoh. A cast from "Glee" to also star in the sequel is no other than Harry Shum Jr., who is known as Mike Chang in the musical TV series.

Shum Jr. will play as Tie-Fang, one of the four martial arts warriors who will protect the Green Destiny sword from the villains. The story of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny" revolves around Silent Wolf (Yen), Yu Shu-Lien (Yeoh), Tie-Fang, and Snow Vase. So, who is Snow Vase? Currently, the production has not yet announced or revealed who will play the role and even if for the character of villain Hades Dai.

The story is set 20 years after on where the viewers left in the first movie starring Chow Yan-Fat and Zhang Ziyi with Yeoh as well. Last week, the production has already started the shooting, getting ready for the tentative release date in 2015.

Going back to Shum Jr., the actor showed his dance moves in "Step Up 2: The Streets" in 2008 and "Step Up 3D" in 2010 as Cable. It means it is not the first time that the actor starred in highly physical movie; however, it is martial arts this time not dancing.

Thinking of the awards and recognitions that the first sequel received in 2000, the viewers, perhaps, already wondering if the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2" will surpass the success and achievement of the 4-time Academy Award winner "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

The film will be helmed by Woo-ping Yeun, who choreographed the first sequel of the movie. John Fusco, who wrote screenplays for Hidalgo and Young Guns, penned the martial arts movie sequel.

While Sham Jr. is busy with the movie, Glee viewers wonder if he will be back to appear in the sixth and final season of the musical TV series. Perhaps, they are thinking, too, if he will show his iconic pop-n-lock moves in the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2".

[doug maverick]

this is being called a game changer... as reported by deadline.com
http://deadline.com/2014/09/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-2-netflix-1st-feature-film-hollywood-nightmare-843291/

Netflix Sets ‘Crouching Tiger 2′ As 1st Feature; Hollywood’s Nightmare?
mfleming
by Mike Fleming Jr
September 29, 2014 6:01pm

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Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
FILM
BREAKING NEWS
MOVIES
NEWS
CROUCHING TIGER
HARVEY WEINSTEIN
HIDDEN DRAGON: THE GREEN LEGEND
BREAKING: While Hollywood studios and exhibitors endlessly spar over shortening the window between theatrical and home viewing on feature films, you just knew that someone was going to take a bona fide movie, bypass theaters and go right to home viewing. Not surprisingly, it’s Netflix, already a disruptive force with series including House Of Cards and Orange Is The New Black. The pay service has just contracted with The Weinstein Company’s Harvey Weinstein to release its first major feature film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend. Sort of a sequel to the Ang Lee-directed 2000 martial arts epic that won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, the film will premiere exclusively on Netflix, and it will simultaneously have a berth in IMAX theaters. The release is August 28, 2015.

RelatedNetflix Topic Of Talk At HRTS Lunch
crouchYuen Wo-Ping is directing a script by John Fusco, and Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen star. Lee is not involved in this, and the connective tissue is the source material based on the Crane-Iron Pentalogy by Wang Du Lu. Crouching Tiger was the fourth book in the series, and this film is based on the fifth installment, Silver Vase, Iron Knight. Both are from Wu Sia, the centuries-old genre of Chinese fiction that this series is part of. There is plenty of high-wire sword fighting along with the themes of lost love, young love and redemption. Yeoh reprises her role as Yu Shu-Lien, and Donnie Yen plays Silent Wolf. The film is shooting in New Zealand. Yuen is a legendary filmmaker and fight choreographer, and the production team is composed of all seasoned feature players. Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey are producing with Weinstein and The Imitation Game helmer Morten Tyldum is exec producing with Ralph Winter, Anthony Wong and Bey Logan.

fuscoThis isn’t the only feature film that Netflix is working on, but it likely will be the first one released. Fusco, Harvey Weinstein and Netflix also are in business on the mammoth event series Marco Polo, and the TWC catalog of films, including those directed by Quentin Tarantino, are available on demand to Netflix subscribers. TWC already has branched into other distribution models with its multi-platform releasing arm RADiUS, but this more closely mirrors the Golden Age of cable television that is partly fueled by the ability for viewers to watch what they want, when they want it. That has not been possible with feature films until now. TWC and Sony (SPC released the 4-Oscar-winning original) had battled several years ago over the rights to the Crouching Tiger books left behind by the author, who died in 1977. Reports quoted his son, Hong Wang, saying his family made very little money from the original film, and that is why they made another deal. TWC then made the movie, going in with a budget north of $20 million.

Actually you have to count 0-1 as a year...
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, who has thumbed his nose at exhibitors in the past, understandably considers this a coup to get a branded title with global appeal.

“Fans will have unprecedented choice in how they enjoy and amazing and memorable film that combines intense action and incredible beauty,” he said in a statement. “We are honored to be working with Harvey Weinstein and a world-class team of creators to bring this epic story to people all over the world and to partner with IMAX, a brand that represents the highest quality of immersive entertainment, in the distribution of this film.”

Harvey WeinsteinWeinstein was a bit more reserved in his statement: “The moviegoing experience is evolving quickly and profoundly, and Netflix is unquestionably at the forefront of that movement. We are tremendously excited to be continuing our great relationship with Netflix and bringing to fans all over the world the latest chapter in this amazing and intriguing story.”

Ted SarandosBeing along for the ride helps IMAX broaden its horizons, per senior executive Greg Foster. “IMAX has a terrific opportunity, via this partnership with Netflix, to release Crouching Tiger–a high quality action packed film that is right in our wheelhouse, at the end of the summer blockbuster season,” he said. “We are particularly hopeful it will play in our highly successful China market. In territories where we simultaneously release with Netflix, we are excited to offer consumers the option of deciding how, when and where they want to view the film, and exhibitors the opportunity to participate in this alternative form of content in a new and innovative way.”

Will the status quo theater chains see it that way?

[GeneChing]

...this looks like full out war.

At least CTHD2 will garner lots of attention.


Regal, Cinemark Slam Imax, Weinstein Co. for 'Crouching Tiger 2' Netflix Deal (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/regal-cinemark-slam-imax-weinstein-736692)
7:27 AM PST 09/30/2014 by Pamela McClintock

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/modal_800/2014/09/crouching_tiger_still.jpg
Courtesy of Netflix

"We will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3-inches wide on a smart phone"

Regal, the country's largest theater chain, has wasted no time in slamming a historic deal to release The Weinstein Co.'s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel simultaneously on Netflix and in select Imax theaters around the world, circumventing the normal theatrical release.

Regal operates 86 Imax locations and will not carry the Netflix title in any of those theaters. And shortly after the Regal announcement, Cinemark, the country's third largest circuit, and Carmike likewise said they wouldn't participate.

"Cinemark does not play day-and-date movie releases on any of our screens including the Imax screens that we operate," a spokesman said. Cinemark operates 14 Imax theaters.

Among the big three, that leaves AMC Entertainment, which has been more willing than other chains to play specialty movies that are getting a simultaneous VOD release. AMC, which has the biggest Imax presence, has yet to weigh in on the Netflix deal, but insiders say the exhibitor could end up carrying it in some Imax locations.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend will make its debut Aug. 28, 2015. When announcing the deal Monday night, Netflix and Imax said it will be the first of several major films to be given a day-and-date release.

"At Regal Cinemas, presenting movies on a grand scale is our promise to movie fans as we work to continually enhance the moviegoing experience. We recognize that there is a tremendous slate of films scheduled for release in 2015 and we couldn’t be more excited by the prospects," Regal spokesman Russ Nunley said in a statement.

"While a home video release may be simultaneously performing in certain IMAX locations, at Regal we will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3” wide on a smart phone. We believe the choice for truly enjoying a magnificent movie is clear," he continued.

On Wall Street, at least one analyst was bullish on the deal. Eric Wold of B. Riley & Co. noted in report that most day-and-date VOD experiments have been attempted with "unsuccessful, lower-budget films." However, considering the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, "the sequel actually brings a solid franchise property into this equation."

Wold predicted that many would boycott playing the film in Netflix territories, but noted that the sequel's Imax prospects are strong in China, where there is no Netflix. "We believe this news only helps to further validate the importance of the Imax format to the industry as a major player in the evolving industry’s future," he added.

Netflix's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, has long wanted to release movies day-and-date on Netflix and in theaters, something most exhibitors are unlikely to ever allow, since they believe in preserving the theatrical window.

“Fans will have unprecedented choice in how they enjoy an amazing and memorable film that combines intense action and incredible beauty,” Sarandos said in announcing the deal. “We are honored to be working with Harvey Weinstein and a world-class team of creators to bring this epic story to people all over the world and to partner with Imax, a brand that represents the highest quality of immersive entertainment, in the distribution of this film.”

Added TWC co-chairman Harvey Weinstein: “The moviegoing experience is evolving quickly and profoundly, and Netflix is unquestionably at the forefront of that movement,” in a statement. “We are tremendously excited to be continuing our great relationship with Netflix and bringing to fans all over the world the latest chapter in this amazing and intriguing story.”

Sept. 30, 8:15 a.m. Updated with Cinemark statement.

[GeneChing]

I poached the story below off your fb too. ;)



AMC Theatres Boycotting 'Crouching Tiger 2' in Major Blow for Netflix, Imax (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amc-theatres-boycotting-crouching-tiger-736983)
2:30 PM PST 09/30/2014 by Pamela McClintock

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/news_portrait/2014/03/gerry_lopez.jpg
Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Open Road Films/AP Images
AMC chief Gerry Lopez

The giant exhibitor won't carry the film in any of the 147 Imax theaters it operates in the U.S., while parent company Wanda may not carry it in China

Japan's SoftBank Eyes Stake in Legendary as DreamWorks Animation Talks Break Down (Exclusive) »
AMC Theatres has joined the country's two other largest chains in slamming a plan to release the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel directly on Netflix and in select Imax locations, saying it won't play the film in any of its Imax venues.

"AMC Theatres and Wanda Cinema are the largest operators of Imax-equipped auditoriums in the world. We license just the technology from Imax. Only AMC and Wanda decide what programming plays in our respective theaters. No one has approached us to license this made-for-video sequel in the U.S. or China, so one must assume the screens Imax committed are in science centers and aquariums," AMC said in a terse statement.

The historic Netflix-Imax deal was announced Monday night, prompting immediate outrage among exhibitors gathered together this week in Los Angeles for a National Association of Theater Owners meeting, since it makes the movie available simultaneously in the home and on the big screen. Regal and Cinemark were the first to weigh in, followed by Carmike, and now AMC. Between them, AMC, Regal and Cinemark alone operate 247 Imax locations, the vast majority of the 400 Imax sites in North America.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend will make its debut Aug. 28, 2015. Netflix has long wanted to get into the first-run movie business and actually co-financed the $60 million-plus sequel with The Weinstein Co.

AMC's boycott is especially problematic because it operates 146 locations in the U.S., the most of any circuit. Regal follows with 86.

Read more Imax CEO on 'Crouching Tiger 2' Netflix Ruckus: "I Knew It Wouldn't Work for Some People"

Chinese conglomerate Wanda, AMC's parent company, has the biggest Imax footprint overseas, so that also poses a problem. Imax has particularly ambitious plans for Crouching Tiger 2 in China, since there is no Netflix there.

In the past, Gerry Lopez's AMC, unlike most other exhibitors, has been willing to play select titles that are getting a day-and-date VOD release, but the distributors generally have to rent the theaters. AMC, however, does not appear willing to extend that courtesy to Crouching Tiger 2.

In Europe, giant exhibitor Cineworld also has denounced the plan, saying it won't carry the sequel either. Ditto for Cineplex in Canada.

Imax only owns a handful of its theaters. The rest are joint ventures with exhibitors, with Imax providing the theaters and taking a piece of the box office. It also operates about 125 theaters in museums, science centers and aquariums.

When announcing the Green Legend deal, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos and Imax said it will be the first of several major films to be given a day-and-date release on the platform.

[GeneChing]

I have been in dialog with John Fusco about this. We'll have something from him soon, something exclusive (although it might not be about this topic right yet...;))


As Theaters Boycott Netflix, Collapsed Windows Seen as Inevitable (http://variety.com/2014/film/news/as-theater-chains-boycott-netflix-collapsed-windows-seen-as-inevitable-1201317673/)
September 30, 2014 | 05:42PM PT
Brent Lang
Senior Film and Media Reporter @BrentALang

Major theater chains are united in their opposition to a plan by IMAX, Netflix and the Weinstein Co. to make “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend” available for streaming on the same day it hits theaters in 2015 but the question remains — how much longer can theater owners withstand the battering ram of technology?

The “Crouching Tiger” standoff heated up Tuesday after the four largest exhibitors in the U.S., AMC, Regal, Cinemark and Carmike, pledged not to show the martial arts sequel next year. That represents 257 of IMAX’s 418 U.S. screens, and these theater chains were joined by Canada’s largest exhibitor Cineplex, and Europe’s second largest theater chain, Cineworld, in a boycott that has grown international in scope.

It means “Crouching Tiger” could play on a limited number of IMAX screens in the U.S., and likely for no more than two weeks, the typical IMAX playing time.

But their efforts may be for naught, analysts say. Even if they succeed in preventing the “Crouching Tiger” revival from showing in theaters while it bows on Netflix at the same time, the old release date patterns are starting to look too archaic to the current insta-generation of consumers.

“The reality is that the future is going to be a lot different in the way that movies are consumed,” said Daniel Ernst, an analyst at Hudson Square Research. “There is zero doubt in my mind that over the next 20 years a lot of these windowing things will erode.”

Tuesday’s show of solidarity among theater owners has not been seen since 2011, when exhibitors banded together and refused to screen “Tower Heist” after Universal unveiled a plan to make the action comedy available on-demand for $60 three weeks after hitting theaters. Since then a tentative peace agreement has adhered to at least a three month window between when a film debuts and when it premieres on home entertainment platforms.

But Hollywood knows that change is coming — a lot faster than 20 years from now.

DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg predicted earlier this year that theatrical windows would shrink to three weeks in the next 10 years, suggesting that audiences should “pay by the inch” to see a movie based on the size of the screen they watch it on.

“A movie screen will be $15,” he said, “A 75-inch TV will be $4. A smartphone will be $1.99.”

Privately, other studio executives may also be ready for the next step. There’s a sense among many Hollywood leaders that the window between a film’s theatrical debut and its release on homevideo is too long, especially for the Internet age. Plus, studios spend tens of millions of dollars marketing films to the masses only to have to turn around and shell out again to re-familiarize audiences with a particular picture when it hits home platforms.

“The moviegoing experience is evolving quickly and profoundly, and Netflix is unquestionably at the forefront of that movement,” said TWC co-chairman Harvey Weinstein in Monday’s announcement.

IMAX claims that the “Crouching Tiger” experiment’s success hinges on its burgeoning network of overseas theaters, but it will need a much warmer reception overseas than it received among North American and European exhibition giants.

If it works, the theater company, Netflix and the Weinstein Company aren’t ruling out other release date tests.

“If there’s an appetite there among exhibitors and among audiences we expect to do several more, but I’m not committed to a strategy,” said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond. “We’re going in with our eyes open and we were fully aware of the issues people might have.”

IMAX will have over 200 screens in China by the time the “Crouching Tiger” sequel debuts on Aug. 28, 2015, so it may be able to make up for the loss of China’s Wanda, which owns AMC theaters. It also helps that Netflix does not operate in China, which means the film will not ignite as much controversy among exhibitors.

“Provided it gets through the quota on foreign films, this is an important market and we do intend to show it there,” said Gelfond. “Given the nature of the film, it should do well there.”

Not every one is convinced that releasing the “Crouching Tiger” film on Netflix and in theaters at the same time endangers ticket buying. The late August release date was selected by IMAX and its partners because it historically is one of the worst box office weekends of the year. Moreover, the film itself is modestly budgeted in the $20 million range.

“We believe there are a number of relatively small sized budget films ($15mn-$30mn) which could draw an audience via Netflix without impacting exhibition industry grosses,” wrote Eric Handler, an analyst with MKM Partners, in a note to investors. “In fact there are hundreds of films every year that bypass theatres and launch direct to DVD/VOD.”

He noted that films like “Arbitrage” and “Margin Call” have been unveiled on-demand at the same time they hit theater without disrupting the exhibition game — all films that opened in limited release, like Radius-TWC’s own VOD success this summer, “Snowpiercer.”

If theater chains want to thwart the digital threats, analysts argue, they need to improve the premium nature of their experience. Not only must they compete with each other, they would need to head off against gleaming home entertainment systems and the ubiquity and convenience of streaming services and mobile devices.

“It’s got to be different,” said Ernst. “You’ve got to win customers every single day.”

There is one issue on which theater chains and IMAX’s leadership agree: the best way to see a movie is in theaters.

“A movie like ‘Crouching Tiger,’ which is a visual spectacle that comes off a highly successful prequel, should be seen in the way it was meant to be seen — with big screens, big images and great sound,” said Gelfond.

The only difference is that in the case of the “Crouching Tiger” sequel, people can see it on a 3-inch screen instead, and that’s what has theater chains seeing red.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misattributed the investor note by Eric Handler to a different analyst.

[GeneChing]

Beasts of No Nation, Ridiculous Six, Crouching Tiger & Pee-wee Dated by Netflix (http://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/457219-beasts-of-no-nation-ridiculous-six-pee-wee-and-crouching-tiger)

BY CS ON JULY 7, 2015

http://cdn2-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/2015/07/beastsofnoheader.jpg

Netflix announces the Beasts of No Nation release date and more

Netflix announced today the rollout of its original film initiative with Beasts of No Nation, the powerful new film written and directed by Emmy Award winner Cary Fukunaga (“True Detective,” Sin Nombre) and starring Golden Globe winner Idris Elba (“Luther,” Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) that will debut Friday, October 16, 2015 worldwide on Netflix, in all territories where the world’s leading Internet TV network is available, and on the same day in select U.S. theaters. U.S. film distribution company Bleecker Street will partner with Netflix to distribute Beasts of No Nation to theaters.

The Ridiculous Six will be the first of four Adam Sandler films available only on Netflix. The film stars Sandler (Pixels, Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2), Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” The Expendables 3, The Longest Yard), Jorge Garcia (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-0,” The Wedding Ringer), Taylor Lautner (Grown Ups 2, The Twilight Saga), Rob Schneider (50 First Dates, Grown Ups), Luke Wilson (The Skeleton Twins, Enlightened) and Nick Nolte (Parker, Warrior, Tropic Thunder). The film will premiere exclusively for Netflix members on Friday, December 11, 2015.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend will be released theatrically in China and on IMAX and on Netflix globally in Q1 2016.

Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, starring beloved, fun-loving character Pee-wee Herman, will premiere on Netflix in March 2016.

Beasts of No Nation is based on the highly acclaimed novel by Nigerian author Uzodinma Iweala, bringing to life the gripping tale of Agu, a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an African country. Newcomer Abraham Attah gives a stunning portrayal of Agu, while Elba dominates the screen in the role of Commandant, a warlord who takes in Agu and instructs him in the ways of war. The film is produced by Amy Kaufman and Cary Fukunaga (who previously worked together on Sin Nombre), Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker and Dan Crown for Red Crown Productions, along with Elba. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King are executive producers for Participant Media and Donna Gigliotti is executive producer for Levantine Films.

The Ridiculous Six, a Happy Madison Production, is a comedic, western ensemble produced by Adam Sandler and Allen Covert. The film was directed by Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer) and written by Tim Herlihy (Pixels) and Adam Sandler (Pixels, Grown Ups 1 and 2, Big Daddy).

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend is based on the acclaimed novel, “Iron Knight,” Silver Vase, by Wang Dulu (book 5 in the Crane-Iron Pentalogy) and was written by John Fusco (“Marco Polo”) was directed by Yuen Wo-Ping (Tai Chi Master), who was also the action choreographer on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill and The Matrix. The film stars Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Lady) reprising her role as Yu Shu-Lien; Donnie Yen (Ip Man 1&2, Monkey King 3D) as Silent Wolf; Harry Shum Jr (“Glee,” Revenge of the Green Dragons); Jason Scott Lee (Seventh Son, “Hawaii Five-O”); Roger Yuan (Bulletproof Monk); Eugenia Yuan (Revenge of the Green Dragons); and newcomer Natasha Liu Bordizzo. Produced by The Weinstein Company, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend echoes the themes of the original movie, but tells its own story — one of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption, set against breathtaking action in an epic martial arts battle between good and evil that will decide the fate of the Martial World. The film is produced by Harvey Weinstein and Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey and executive produced by Morten Tyldum, Ralph Winter, Anthony Wong, and Bey Logan.

In Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, a fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee Herman to take his first-ever holiday in this epic story of friendship and destiny. Judd Apatow (Anchorman, Bridesmaids) and Paul Reubens (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Pee-wee’s Playhouse), worked together to bring the project to fruition and produced the film. It was written by Reubens and Paul Rust (“Comedy Bang! Bang!,” “Arrested Development”), and is directed by John Lee (Wonder Showzen, The Heart She Holler).

A magazine that was less on top of their coverage might have gone ahead and run a story on CTHD2 based on the previous release date. Not that I'm mentioning any names.

We didn't because we already knew a few months ago. ;)

[GeneChing]

I wonder if the U.S. premiere will coincide. I imagine it will.


'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2' unveils mystery (http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2015-09/16/content_36602836.htm)
By Zhang Rui

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20150916/c03fd5566a1d1763667457.jpg
Cast and crew, studio executives and representatives pose for a photo at a press conference to unveil "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" in Beijing on Sept. 14, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The much anticipated sequel of the Academy Award winning Chinese film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has set eyes on release during the profitable Spring Festival film season in 2016, studios announced on Monday.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend," directed by famous Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director Yuen Woo-ping, will star Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh. China Film Group Corp, Pegasus Media, Netflix and the Weinstein Co. have co-produced the film. The principal photography was done in China and New Zealand.

The story will continue from the original one and is adapted from the fifth and final book of the Crane-Iron Series, "Iron Knight, Silver Vase" written by Wang Dulu.

Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" set the bar high in 2000, grossing US$213.5 million and winning four Oscars, including Best Foreign Language Film.

When the sequel began preparation, the studios took it to Ang Lee, but he turned it down. Then they invited Ronny Yu (director of "Fearless," and "Freddy vs. Jason") to helm the project. Yu also declined, fearing he wouldn’t be able to top Ang Lee's original.

Not only the director, but the actors have also declined participation. The old cast of Chow Yun-fat, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen will not reprise their roles, either.

Yuen, the martial arts choreographer for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," eventually settled as the sequel’s director saying, "I’m facing the challenge while understanding the difficulties. Although I know we made a classic before, I'm still willing to try. " According to Sun Jianjun, president of Pegasus Media and one of the film’s producers, the script for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2" has been rewritten and polished 10 times in 6 to 7 years.

Yuen also said he was at first unsatisfied with the initial script presented by American script writer John Fusco, which led to the delay of filming, saying "Americans don't really understand Chinese inner feelings and emotion. I knew he did a lot of research, but it still wasn’t enough, and the story is flat. I had to get a Chinese script writer to help, to explore more depth in the inner core of Chinese emotions."

The film also hired special effects, makeup and costume professionals from the "The Lord of the Rings" series to work on the production. Sun Jianjun promised that it would "retain the Oriental flavor of the first installment while presenting more stunning visual effects with the help of foreign expertise."

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II" will be released in China on Feb. 8, 2016, during the traditional Chinese Spring Festival. The film will later debut in the United States both on IMAX screens and on Netflix simultaneously. Netflix's representative Sarah Bowen feels the film has the potential to be a breakthrough for the Hollywood distribution tradition.

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20150916/c03fd5566a1d1763668f58.jpg
A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20150916/c03fd5566a1d1763669c5c.jpg
A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20150916/c03fd5566a1d176366a35d.jpg
A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20150916/c03fd5566a1d176366a75e.jpg
A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]

[GeneChing]

http://images.perseusbooks.com/image/pbg/week/classic/385x/72/liquid/center/color/ffffff/99/9781602862876.jpg

FORMAT:

Pub Date: 1/26/2016
Season: Fall 2015
Pages: 320
Trim: 6.00 x 9.00 inches
Publisher: Weinstein Publishing
Imprint: Weinstein Books

ISBN 13: 9781602862876
ISBN 10: 1602862877
Price: $15.00 / $18.99 CAN
Status: Forthcoming
Carton Qty: 20

Category: Antiques & Collectibles
Subcategory: General

Category: Fiction
Subcategory: Media Tie-In

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (http://www.weinsteinbooks.com/book/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-the-green-legend/justin-hill/wang-dulu/9781602862876/)

By Justin Hill, with Wang Dulu

The film-tie in to the CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY, the hotly anticipated sequel to the record-breaking Chinese martial arts film, and based on the never-before-translated original books.

Another life-altering quest, another struggle between honor and lust for power, another generation of warriors forging alliances and enmities. The adventure, romance, and artistry of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon continues in this novelized companion to the first ever Netflix debut film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny based on the novel by Wang Dulu.

Seventeen years after the legendary fighter Mubai dies protecting the world-conquering sword The Green Destiny, four great warriors are called together to guard the formidable weapon once more. The forces surrounding the sword irrevocably altered the life of Shulien, Mubai's lover, but seventeen years later she is still honor-bound to defend the blade from the power-hungry warlord Hades Dai. The young fighters Wei-fang and Snow Vase, switched at birth, also have heritages and inheritances that inextricably link them to both each other and the fate of the sword. And Silent Wolf, Shulien's former fiancé, returns from presumed death to thwart Hades Dai—and rekindle an emotionally isolated Shulien's feelings.

Jam-packed with all the hallmarks of an epic adventure—sacrifice, battles, betrayal, vengeance, redemption, and destiny—this saga also explores the deeper meaning of true heroism and virtue. As Wei-fang and Snow Vase search for identity and forge their places in the world of warriors and heroes, Shu-lien and Silent Wolf struggle to reconcile both the traditions and heartbreak of the past with a fragile hope for the future.

Justin Hill was born in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island but grew up in York. As an adult, he worked for seven years with the Voluntary Service Overseas in rural China and Africa. Hill's works have been nominated for the Man Booker Prize three times and have also received many awards and honors, including the Betty Trask Award and Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize for his first novel, The Drink and Dream Teahouse. He lives in Hong Kong.

Wang Dulu (pen name of Wang Baoxiang) is widely considered the master of the wuxia genre and is most well-known for his five-part Crane-Iron Series, which has never before been translated into English. Born into a poor family in Beijing in 1909, Wang Dulu worked at a small newspaper and as a clerk for a merchant association before becoming a writer of romance, detective, and wuxia novels. He lived through many periods of political upheaval, including the New Culture Movement, May Fourth Movement, and Chinese Revolution. During Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, Wang Dulu was deployed to the countryside and sentenced to farm labor. He died in 1977 and was survived by his wife and three children.

This is great that they are translating the original novel. Or wait...is it a script novelization? Because those usually suck. :confused:

[GeneChing]

Changing the title from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdhvxJZDqzU

CCR? srsly? :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

sans ccr.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAQAY9CDRDg

[GeneChing]

Just like KFP3 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60650-Kung-Fu-Panda-3), there's a lot more happening in China with this than here in the States. Both films are plays to penetrate the bamboo curtain.



January 13, 2016 10:38 pm
Mogul behind ‘Crouching Tiger’ film to launch streaming service (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e67cca86-b9e6-11e5-b151-8e15c9a029fb.html#axzz3yPBv6o3k)
Robert Cookson, Digital Media Correspondent

http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/9994c250-e483-4a2b-9cac-6f5d7b97ac9f.img
'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' was co-produced by Dong Ping

The Chinese movie mogul behind Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has formed a joint venture with a London-based start-up to launch a film streaming service in China.
Dong Ping, who sold film production company ChinaVision to Alibaba for $800m in 2014, last year took control of Hong Kong-listed company Huanxi Media. Huanxi will announce on Thursday that it has agreed an alliance with Mubi, a streaming service headquartered in the UK.
China’s cinema box office revenues surged 40 per cent last year to $6.8bn and the country will overtake the US as the world’s largest movie market by 2018, according to research group IHS. But its market for film subscription services is still relatively small.
Netflix, the world’s largest film streaming service, which expanded into 130 more countries this month, has yet to enter China — having failed to obtain permission from the government to do so.
Huanxi and Mubi said they expected to launch their service in China this year, though they declined to detail how they would obtain the necessary licences from Beijing.
“We know how to navigate through all the regulations,” said Steven Xiang, chief executive of Huanxi Media.
Mubi’s rivals in the Chinese market include Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, whose video offering iQiyi has more than 10m paying subscribers.
Efe Cakarel, chief executive of Mubi, said the service had the potential to attract “millions of subscribers” thanks to its exclusive access to films produced by Huanxi.
“We’ll have exclusive access to potentially the biggest films coming out of China,” he said.
Ning Hao and Xu Zheng, two of Chinese’s most successful film directors, are co-founders of Huanxi and will be making original content for the group. Lost in Hong Kong, their latest production, has grossed more than $250m at the Chinese box office, making it one of the country’s most commercially successful films.
Huanxi has agreed to invest $40m in the joint venture and will own 70 per cent of the new company.
Mubi is licensing its streaming technology in perpetuity to the venture and providing operational expertise in exchange for a 30 per cent stake.
Huanxi has also agreed to invest $10m for an 8 per cent stake in Mubi itself, valuing the company at $125m. In its last funding round in 2014, Mubi was valued at $25m.
One of the main ways that Mubi differs from other streaming services is that it offers a small catalogue of just 30 films at any one time. Each day a new title is added and another is removed — a product feature that Mubi has patented in the US.

[GeneChing]

I will watch it on Netflix first. If I really like it, I'll go for the IMAX/3D experience assuming I have the time to get out to the movies.

I saw Monkey King 2 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?67299-Monkey-King-2) in 3D and paid $17+ for it. And it was totally worth it.

I saw Deadpool (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1282) in IMAX and would have been disappointed if I had paid for it (saw a screener).


Imax CEO on 'Crouching Tiger 2' Netflix Ruckus: "I Knew It Wouldn't Work for Some People" (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/imax-ceo-crouching-tiger-2-736744)
10:57 AM PDT 9/30/2014 by Pamela McClintock

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Rich Gelfond

Rich Gelfond insists the revolutionary deal to release the sequel simultaneously on Netflix and in select Imax locations does not threaten theatrical windows

Ted Sarandos, the maverick chief content officer of Netflix, first approached Imax CEO Rich Gelfond a year ago with a tantalizing, and controversial, prospect: Why not release new films simultaneously on the streaming service and in Imax theaters?

Those conversations turned into a reality with Monday's announcement that sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend, produced by The Weinstein Co., will make its debut Aug. 28, 2015, on Netflix and in select Imax venues, bypassing traditional theaters. Netflix, intent on getting into the first-run movie business, and Imax expect to release several such titles each year.

Read more Netflix's Ted Sarandos Slams Theater Owners: They 'Try to Strangle Innovation' (Video)

Regal, Cinemark and Carmike, three of the country's four biggest chains, immediately slammed the plan, saying they wouldn't play Green Legend in any of their Imax venues (Regal operates 86; Cinemark, 14). Even as movie attendance dwindles, theater owners continue to insist upon a three- to four-month window between a movie's debut on the big screen and in the home.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gelfond said he was well aware there would be resistance.

"I knew it wouldn't work for some people," Gelfond explained. "We've been an innovator for 20 years and frequently when you come up with a new idea, not everybody is going to like it. I understand that people are reluctant to change, but if you look at our track record, everything that we've done has ultimately benefited the box office. If we sat on our hands, there would be no Imax."

There are roughly 400 Imax theaters in the U.S. and another 320 overseas. Imax itself owns only four or five, while the rest are joint ventures. With Regal and Cinemark out of the running, AMC Entertainment — the country's second-largest circuit — is the big question mark, since it operates more Imax theaters than anyone in the U.S., while parent company Wanda has the biggest footprint overseas.

So far, AMC hasn't commented on whether it will carry the Crouching Tiger sequel in its Imax theaters, but insiders point out that AMC has been known to rent its theaters to specialty distributors for day-and-date VOD releases. Gelfond declined to comment on those discussions.

"I can tell you that I've met with international exhibitors and domestic exhibitors over a period of time to talk about this from a theoretical perspective. Some were completely opposed, while others said they would be somewhat flexible," he said.

Gelfond said Imax is a "huge supporter of the windowing system" and that it will only release day-and-date Netflix titles during down times at the box office, such as the end of August, when moviegoing falls off dramatically (as fate would have it, the only title set for nationwide release on Aug. 28, 2015, so far is TWC's thriller Regression).

"We think of it as alternative content, like the opera. We can come up with a very high quality film and you have the choice to play it. No one is saying you have to play it. We would not do anything to undercut windows. But in this case, at that time of year, it's like the opera or another special event. There are no blockbusters and we are trying to give people a choice," Gelfond continued.

Gelfond said they narrowed in on Green Legend in the last month.

"Originally, they [Netlflix] wanted to release it on a competitive date and we were not interested. We won't disrupt the windowing system," he said.

Two key markets where there won't be a conflict over Green Legend is China and Korea, where Netflix isn't available. Imax has a massive presence in China, where there are more than 130 theaters.

Regal didn't mince words when addressing the Netflix-Imax alliance: "While a home video release may be simultaneously performing in certain Imax locations, at Regal we will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3 inches wide on a smartphone. We believe the choice for truly enjoying a magnificent movie is clear."

For his part, TWC co-chairman Harvey Weinstein praised Netflix when announcing the deal for Green Legend, which comes 15 years after Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon turned into a cultural phenomenon (Lee is not directing the sequel).

“The moviegoing experience is evolving quickly and profoundly, and Netflix is unquestionably at the forefront of that movement,” Weinstein said in a statement. “We are tremendously excited to be continuing our great relationship with Netflix and bringing to fans all over the world the latest chapter in this amazing and intriguing story.”

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7ohxUUd5XQ

[GeneChing]

On Screen China: ‘Crouching Tiger’ Sequel (http://chinafilminsider.com/on-screen-china-crouching-tiger-sequel/)

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A bus stop ad for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny in Beijing. (Fergus Ryan)

After Chinese moviegoers helped shatter multiple records during the Lunar New Year holiday, the box office looks to continue its hot streak for one more weekend before students return to school on Monday, February 22.

Fans of Stephen Chow’s comedy juggernaut The Mermaid (美人鱼) appear to have no intention of slowing down and the film could once again dominate this weekend’s charts. Distributed by Beijing Enlight Media, The Mermaid currently sits at RMB 2.35 billion ($360 million) in sales, over just 11 days in release, and will pass Monster Hunt sometime Friday to become the highest-grossing film of all time in China.

Several new films will debut in Chinese cinemas this weekend in a last-chance bid to draw students at the tail end of their holiday. These include two imported animated features: Thomas & Friends (托马斯和朋友们), which marks the first foray into the Chinese movie market for toy brand Mattel, and a rare Japanese import Boruto: Naruto the Movie (火影忍者剧场版：博人传).

But there is only one new release with a fighting chance to break the hold of the three big Lunar New Year films currently on the market (The Mermaid, From Vegas to Macau III, and The Monkey King 2), and that is the long-awaited sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (卧虎藏龙：青冥宝剑), a U.S.-China co-production from the Weinstein Company, Netflix, and China Film Group. Below, CFI takes a look at several key metrics that will determine the film’s potential box office draw.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (卧虎藏龙：青冥宝剑)

China Distribution: Wuzhou Film Distribution (五洲电影发行有限公司)

Buzz 4/10

Coming at the tail-end of the hottest moviegoing period in Chinese history, Sword of Destiny has found it difficult to gain much traction on Chinese social media. Its official Weibo account was established nearly three months ago, but has woefully few followers — only 2,000 to date.

Press screenings also suggest that Chinese viewers are finding it difficult to accept American John Fusco’s adapted script of the Chinese novel by Wang Dulu, and they also complained about the use of Chinese-American actors. One Douban user put it bluntly: “It really made me angry that this film pretended to be a Chinese movie, yet used actors from the American TV show Glee,” referring to actor Harry Shum, Jr.

Audience 3/10

The original Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came out in 2000 and was never released in mainland theaters. While there are some devoted fans of the first film—many of them lovers of the wuxia (martial arts) genre or followers of director Ang Lee’s films—the Chinese movie landscape has changed so drastically in the past 16 years that the younger filmgoers driving the current box office boom simply won’t be interested in this kind of “old” story.

Release Date 5/10

Sword of Destiny was originally scheduled for release on Lunar New Year’s Day, but in early January distributor Wuzhou—Wanda’s distribution arm—wisely chose to postpone its opening by 11 days to avoid a bloodbath amid strong competition. The movie will at least have three days with decent screen percentages and premium-priced IMAX tickets before the winter holidays conclude. Still, if the movie fails to generate good word of mouth, ticket sales will fall off considerably after the opening weekend.

Celebrity Power 4/10

Chinese star Zhang Ziyi pulled out of the sequel once director Ang Lee bowed out, and without the two of them and Chow Yun-Fat, who starred in the original, the sequel lacks considerable star power. Donnie Yen (Ip Man) joins the Michelle Yeoh (the only returning actress), bringing their considerable fan bases to the table.

CFI Score 3/10

There is something fundamentally wrong, and even offensive to some, about the production of a film adapted from a Chinese novel using a script written by an American writer, with two Chinese stars and a host of unknown ethnically Chinese performers, performing in English, and dubbed into Mandarin for a domestic mainland audience.

It may be expected (and even hoped) that Chinese audiences will shun Sword of Destiny and, in doing so, send a message that this should not become a model for future U.S.-China co-productions. Ang Lee’s 2000 film, entirely in Mandarin and subtitled, drew critical acclaim around the world and became the highest-grossing foreign-language film ever to play in the United States (by a very large margin) by offering a uniquely creative vision that transcended language and resonated deeply with audiences. Its sequel has far more limited prospects.

—Follow Jonathan Papish on Twitter @ChinaBoxOffice

Not only was it that the original (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?5071-Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon) wasn't shown in PRC, it was generally disregarded because of the accents. A lot of mainlanders and Taiwanese didn't care for Chow Yun Fat's heavily southern accent. I remember it was compared to doing Shakespeare with a southern drawl.

[GeneChing]

‘Crouching Tiger’ Sequel: An American Filmmaker’s Quest To Make The First Eastern Western – Guest Column (http://deadline.com/2016/02/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sword-of-destiny-harvey-weinstein-commentary-making-of-1201705841/)
by Harvey Weinstein
February 19, 2016 3:33pm

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Netflix

Sixteen years after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon became a worldwide phenomenon, the sequel has been released today in China ahead of its U.S. debut via Netflix on February 26. Directed by Yuen Wo-ping, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny stars the original’s Michelle Yeoh along with Donnie Yen, Harry Shum Jr and Jason Scott Lee. It grossed about $10M in its first Middle Kingdom day today, giving it the No. 2 spot behind juggernaut The Mermaid, and setting it up for a potential $40M weekend. Occasional Deadline contributor Harvey Weinstein, one of the film’s producers, offers his take on expanding a classic:

As the Chinese saying has it, “When you drink the water, remember from where the water flows.” From my very first experiences watching Chinese action cinema, I was committed to sharing my love for this genre, known as wu xia, with the rest of the world. The film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny is a product of this long-held ambition, a summation of my lifelong passion for Chinese culture in general and wu xia cinema in specific.

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When I was first set out to bring the best of Chinese martial arts cinema to the West, I benefited from the unique insight and energy of Quentin Tarantino, perhaps the only mainstream American filmmaker to have seen more Asian action movies that I have. After we saw Yuen Woo-ping’s masterful Iron Monkey, Quentin and I released the film theatrically in North America. We later collaborated with Master Yuen on the hugely successful Kill Bill movies.

After I discovered the films of Donnie Yen, then the rising star of kung fu movies, I cast him in Highlander: Endgame and later distributed many of his finest films: Hero, Seven Swords and Wu Xia. After I became a fan of Michelle Yeoh, the queen of martial arts action, I released the film Supercop, in which she co-stars with Jackie Chan, as well as some of her traditional kung fu epics including Twin Warriors and John Woo’s Reign Of Assassins. Our co-production of Forbidden Kingdom, our theatrical release of Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster — these are just a few examples of my commitment to bringing Chinese culture to the world market, a commitment that reaches its pinnacle with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny. With this film, I finally got the chance to turn my inspiration into action, and to work with some true legends of the Chinese film industry.

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Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny stars Yen and Yeoh, and is directed by the true maestro of the genre, Yuen Woo-ping. To make a movie worthy of the title Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I called on the finest filmmakers from around the world — Oscar-winning designers, Hollywood veterans, cutting-edge visual effects experts. All these diverse hands shared my desire that we paint a tapestry that tells a tale of China, in all the majesty of its culture and history.

All too often, the manner in which a film is made is completely at odds with the message of its story. In this case, everyone behind the camera was infused with the same code of loyalty and commitment as the characters on screen, a code derived from the traditional Chinese values expressed in the script.

When we first announced that we were making this film, everyone asked me, “Why would you want to create a sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?” And my answer is that I didn’t create the sequel. The author Wang Du-lu did. He was the one who wrote a fifth book in his series of Iron Crane novels, with director Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon being adapted from the fourth book in the series. In making this film, I felt it was my duty to be true to the spirit of Wang Du-lu, just as my good friends Ang Lee and Bill Kong were when they made the first Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The greatest respect we could give to Lee was to not try and copy what he had done. Where Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was shot in Mandarin, we filmed in English, with a script by the acclaimed John Fusco, a writer with a profound understanding of both Chinese Easterns and American Westerns. We used this film to explore the common ground between the two genres, inspired in equal part by films like King Hu’s A Touch Of Zen and John Ford’s Fort Apache. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny proves that East and West can meet, and to the benefit of both. Where Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon had underperformed in its native territory, we were determined to make a movie that would find favor with Chinese audiences, especially now that China has established itself as such a major theatrical market.

The other question that people ask is, “How does Ang Lee feel about your making this film?” This is best answered by my relating an incident that occurred while director Yuen Woo-ping and one of our producers, Bey Logan, were scouting for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny in New Zealand.

They were visiting Peter Jackson’s Park Road post-production facility where, quite by chance, they met Ang Lee. Ang was quick to express his encouragement to Master Yuen on his making Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny. As they parted ways, Bey observed to Ang that he had left them a very tough act to follow. Ang stopped in his tracks and said, “Don’t think that way. Just have fun with it!” And we took his advice as our watchword. Incidentally, the odds against this encounter happening between Ang Lee and Yuen Woo-ping at that time and that place are so astronomical, one would have to accept that it was fated we would receive Ang’s blessing.

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The epic canvas afforded by this wu xia epic allowed some of the industry’s finest talents to shine. We were blessed to have the Oscar-winning team of Grant Major and Ngila ****son, the production and costume designers respectively for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, to recreate the colors and textures of this ancient dynasty. These truly spectacular costumes and sets were photographed by Thomas Newton Sigel, the world-renowned cinematographer who previous turned his lens to the hit X-Men film series. Seeing how the world of action cinema has progressed since the first Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, both Tom and director Yuen were determined to create a new visual language for our action scenes, a style that would pay homage to the genre’s earlier classics, but also enhance it. For one of the standout set pieces, a swordplay duel on a frozen lake, we relied on the skills of Oscar-winning VFX designer Mark Stetson.

Director Yuen Woo-ping proves once again what a unique talent he is in terms of directing a wu xia with heart as well as blood. I have admired the films he’s directed, including Drunken Master and Wing Chun, and those he has choreographed, such as Fist Of Legend and Fearless.

From my Miramax era until now, I’ve released about 200 hundred Chinese films, including many of Master Yuen’s classics. The fact that Yuen Woo-ping is held in such high regard attracted people like Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) and Peter Berg (Lone Survivor), world-class directors in their own right, to fly to New Zealand to provide their unique energy and insights in support of Master Yuen’s vision.

In terms of our cast, we were truly blessed to have Michelle Yeoh reprise her role as Yu Shu-lien. I asked Master Yuen to convince Michelle to come on board. I knew from personal experience that Michelle can say “no” in five languages, but never to Yuen Woo-ping. On-camera, Michelle is the very heart of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Off-camera, she has been the true compass of our film, always making sure we stayed on course.

Opposite Michelle we have Donnie Yen, a true martial hero, for real and reel, the star of the highly acclaimed Ip Man film series. I’m very proud that this film shows Donnie’s acting and action skills in equal measure, and in a movie that will reach those fans who still refuse to watch subtitled films. The chemistry between Donnie and Michelle is electric in any language, but pairing them in the first English-language wu xia will bring their talents, and those of everyone involved in the film, to a massive new worldwide audience.

It also proved a blessing that my friends Ted Sarandos and Pauline Fischer at Netflix shared our aim and commitment to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny. They have proved to be the true comrades every warrior hopes to have at their side, and we couldn’t have made the film we made without their creative contributions. I was also lucky to have the financial and moral support of my good friend Ron Burkle of Yucaipa, and of course a wonderful Chinese partner company in Pegasus, which is run by the tireless and inspired Jay Sun and Victor Li.

I’m proud to offer this film to international audiences, to give them a new and enlightened perspective on Chinese culture, and to the Chinese people, whose timeless art and traditions inspired everyone who made it.

I'm looking forward to watching this on Netflix this Friday. That'll be my reward for surviving this week.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Surviving?
Sounds intense Boss....

[GeneChing]

Deadlines week is like a menstrual period but it only comes here every other month...:o Almost there however. There's light at the end of the tunnel. We'll be done by Friday, and then I can go home and watch this over a few tall cold ones. :)


'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Sequel to Play in 15 or Fewer Imax Theaters in U.S. (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sequel-867166)
2:23 PM PST 2/22/2016 by Pamela McClintock

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'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny'
Courtesy Pegasus Pictures

Theater owners in the U.S. balked at the bold plan to debut the movie simultaneously on Netflix and in Imax; China is a different story, where the sequel opened to a strong $21.3 million on the big screen.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny will play in only 10 to 15 Imax theaters in North America when it debuts Feb. 26, a year after Netflix and Imax left cinema operators furious when partnering on the release of the long-awaited follow-up to Ang Lee's 2000 martial-arts blockbuster.

At the time, most theater owners who operate Imax screens said they would not carry the film since it is debuting simultaneously on Netflix and on the big screen. They haven't softened, resulting in a very limited Imax footprint.

Nor did it help matters when Sword of Destiny was pushed from Aug. 28, 2015 — a relatively quiet corridor for Imax after the summer crush of tentpoles — to February, when Imax is committed to playing other titles, including Deadpool.

The Weinstein Co. produced the film with a number of partners, including the China Film Group and Netflix.

There are roughly 400 Imax theaters in the U.S.; Imax itself owns only four or five, while the rest are joint ventures. It's not clear how many screens Netflix and Imax originally had intended to play Sword of Destiny on; Netflix insiders say it was always going to be a limited number. However, other sources say it was originally intended to be far more than just 10 to 15 locations.

Over the weekend, Sword of Destiny debuted at the box office in China to a pleasing $21.3 million, coming in No. 2 behind Chinese sensation The Mermaid. However, as Netflix isn't available in China, Imax didn't face the same issues in the country that it does in the U.S., and is carrying the movie on hundreds of screens in the Middle Kingdom. Sword of Destiny is playing in regular 3D theaters as well.

Produced by TWC, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 was directed by Yuen Wo-Ping, also a martial-arts master. Michelle Yeoh reprises her role as Yu Shu-Lien, while Donnie Yen also stars.

[GeneChing]

February 23, 2016 Laura Sirikul
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’s Harry Shum Jr on martial arts and his passion projects (Exclusive) (http://nerdreactor.com/2016/02/23/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragons-harry-shum-jr-on-martial-arts-and-his-passion-projects/)

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You may recognize Harry Shum Jr. from the hit show Glee or as the badass wizard Magnus in Freeform’s new series Shadowhunters. Now, audiences around the world will now know him as Tiefang in Netflix’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, the 2001 sequel to the Academy Award-winning film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Directed by legendary fight choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny is a film filled with the beautiful fight styles of classic martial arts films. Shum himself has never had any formal martial arts training, but his background as a professional dancer allowed him to easily transform into a graceful fighting machine. Nerd Reactor sat down with Shum during the press day for the film and chatted about his role in the film, martial arts, and his passion projects.

Nerd Reactor: Congratulations on the film’s opening this week and all of your projects you’re currently on, including Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny. So tell me, how did you get involved in this project?

Harry Shum Jr (HSJ): Well, this project, I auditioned. I auditioned for the role and it’s crazy. You go on a bunch of auditions and you never know which one is going to lead towards something becoming real. This one, in particular, I was hoping to get. I worked really hard on it and at the same time, it happened so fast. I auditioned on Friday and [was] on a plane on Sunday to New Zealand for four months. So it was a crazy start and it has been an incredible journey.

NR: This is a huge film with legendary martial artists Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh, and fight choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping. What was the experience of working with such legends?

HSJ: Like you said, they are legends. How do you prepare to work with legends? Someone that you grew up watching their films and are so influential in martial arts films and Asian cinema. I really enjoy the fact that I was able to come in and be a fan. I think everyone wants to work with people that they look up to. I was able to do that. There was really no way to prepare for that outside of making sure you don’t fanboy over them when you first see them. The first person I met was Yuen Woo-ping and he was very quiet. I walked in just off the plane. I had just got off an 11-14 hour flight and landed and with my backpack, jet-lagged already. The first thing he said to me, he started showing me choreography fighting against five guys and I didn’t know he wanted me to do it right away. I had my backpack on, so I took off my backpack and started learning choreography. He showed me twice and put camera around the corner and said, ‘Okay, go!’ So he’s putting me to the test! I’m here fighting all these guys with the choreography as best as I can. Mind you, I don’t have martial arts experience. I’m literally just doing what I see him doing – mimicking him. All the stunt guys run away and come back with pads because I was really hitting them too hard. And, I had to pull back. I had to learn that. I mean, that was my first experience and I did it. He said okay and walks away. It was incredible and I wanted to make him proud.

NR: Did you do a lot of research in this genre – especially his films?

HSJ: Yeah, the fun part is I already watched most of his films already. I went back and watched the ones that I missed and whether it be Drunken Master to Taichi Master to the fight choreography in Crouching Tiger and even the stuff he did with Matrix and Kill Bill. I wanted to make sure that I got the spirit and understanding of the movement in general. I think with the character, we got to do a lot of development together as opposed to studying it on my own. So it was great to have that, to be able to study without trying to figure it out on set.

NR: Woo-Ping is known for his strict choreography and workout. What was the most challenging part working on this film?

HSJ: To get it right the first time. It was really challenging. You want to get it right the first time. A lot of times we learn the choreography right before and some things would change. Coming from someone that is not completely an expert in it, it’s challenging. That was really challenging because you want to get it right, get it perfect. The beauty of it is that he doesn’t move on until he gets it exactly the way he wants it, which can take a lot of takes sometimes. The wire work was challenging as well. He expects once you land on set to be professional and to get it. He hired us for a reason. He wants us to be wushu/wuxia warriors when we’re on set.

NR: Did you feel you learned a lot about martial arts and plan on continuing it?

HSJ: Yeah, I learned a lot about the discipline. Outside of that, just the fluidity. There is a way of making it look believable and at the same time, there is a beauty. It’s that saying, it’s really the journey of the movement. Whether it’s for a punch, it’s not just going straight into the punch, you have to still make it elegant and graceful. There is a journey towards the impact. I learned a lot about that and it says a lot about life whether it be acting or dance or just life in general. Just enjoy the journey and focus on that as well. I learned a lot and I learned how to spar and fight choreography for films. So now I just have to learn how to defend myself in real-life situations.

NR: There are no wires in real life.

HSJ: There are no wires. No swords.

NR: Your character Tiefang and Natasha [Liu Bordizzo]’s character Snow Vase have a very similar story to Lo and Jen from the previous film. I feel like this is a rebirth of their love story. Did they plan to do a parallel into both love stories?

HSJ: I see there are a lot of parallels to that. It is written from the five-book series. This wasn’t a sequel made out to be a sequel just because they wanted to make it. It is following the books and adaptation of that. For us, the parallels of the love story, I think, there are a lot of similarities, but there are a lot of differences as well. From the way they are connected, it’s very powerful of a story how you always go full circle. You know, it just matters on how you look at it. With that love story particularly, it’s really powerful how they come around full circle with the mentor and the possible connection between Snow Vase and Tiefang.

NR: Since the film debuted in China last week and it’ll be debuting on Netflix this week, what were the biggest similarities and differences in the two industries – China and Hollywood – and their audiences?

HSJ: I think it’s cultural. It’s like if you go anywhere. You make a movie in Brazil. You make a movie in France. The cultures are going to be different. They are used to a different culture and language. Not even the language but the nuances, the jokes, and the slang are going to read differently. Luckily, I grew up watching a lot of Chinese films, but even then it has progressed a lot to where I watch it now, sometimes I really have to figure out where the jokes are coming from or where the code of honor is. I think with Chinese films, it’s about honor and respect and honesty. We have that in America as well but in a different way. It’s told differently. I think those are the biggest differences when you have that. I think we achieve that with this film. There is a Western influence and there is also an Eastern influence as well. So when you watch it, you’re going to take away from both. What I love about this Sword of Destiny is that there is this western kind of feel to it, not in a Western in movies, but kind of like the cowboys coming in and trying to grab the green destiny back and obviously, we see the Eastern side, the Eastern culture, that influenced where it came from – the origins.

NR: You have a lot of projects going on – Fake Off, Shadowhunters, this film, and your many passion projects. It’s amazing how you have time for all of it. Is there a passion project or any project that you’re interested in working in? Or any genre?

HSJ: I get asked this question. There are passion projects that are in the works right now. Obviously, I’m a big fan of dance. It’s a big passion of mine. What I’ve been very happy about is that I’ve been able to utilize that movement in different ways, not just musical dancing. It’s being able to do the physicality of Magnus Bane of Shadowhunters or Tiefang in martial arts in Crouching Tiger. To me, people have to move at the end of the day. People aren’t stoic or completely frozen. It can be a mannerism that you use when you’re talking that is part of the physicality that I connect to dance, without it seeming like it’s a full-on musical dance. In the upcoming projects, I just hope to utilize it, not just in a dance aspect, but in characters and really interesting characters and stories.

NR: Any chance of you being a superhero?

HSJ: Yeah, I would love to. It’s pretty cool that I’m playing somewhat of a superhero in this movie. I get to fly and fight evil beings. I don’t think it’s about being a superhero. What I’m interested in, what are the flaws of these superheroes. To me, you could find a good superhero that has a flaw that you could connect with. That makes it interesting because it’s not their super power that is interesting. It’s why they can rule the world. You know, you have all tragic stories of superheroes. That’s why the Greek mythology is so interesting because they are all flawed.

continued next post

[GeneChing]

NR: If you could go back in time and be in any martial arts film, what would it be and which character would you play?

HSJ: Hm, you know I loved Mr. Canton and Lady Rose – Jackie Chan film with Anita Mui. I used to watch that movie over and over again. I would be one of the stunt guys, to be honest with you. I would watch that film over and over just because I love that influence of the 1950s genre because I know Jackie Chan was a big fan of Busby Berkeley and Gene Kelly and also back to the silent films, Buster Keaton. He really loved that. His influence on the musicals and with the fight and action choreography was incredible. I would definitely be in that movie.

NR: Here is a fan question. Would you do another dance series or dance off with anyone, maybe Kevin Wu?

HSJ: I don’t know. You’re going to have to ask Kevin. I don’t know where he’s at. If you could bring him out, you could ask him.

NR: Another fan question. Shows are now doing reunion shows with Full House, Girl Meets World, and many more. Even though Glee has come off the air last year, would you consider eventually being part of a reunion show if they had one?

HSJ: That’s interesting. If it ever happens. I love the Glee family. It’s given me so many opportunities and I love Ryan Murphy, so I would love to see them again.

NR: Thank you so much for answering out questions.

HSJ: Of course.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny released on Netflix on February 26th.



I've thought Harry Shum Jr. had good potential as an Asian American male in Hollywood. I figured he'd eventually get roped into a martial arts film as that's what Asian American males in Hollywood do. Since Glee, he did Revenge-Of-The-Green-Dragons (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68143-Revenge-Of-The-Green-Dragons), the Mortal-Kombat (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57448-Mortal-Kombat&p=1200032#post1200032) web series, and there was that Already-Gone (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?63567-Already-Gone) teaser.

[GeneChing]

http://cdn.thedailybeast.com/content/dailybeast/articles/2016/02/24/michelle-yeoh-on-crouching-tiger-2-girl-power-and-anti-china-trump/jcr:content/image.crop.800.500.jpg/48543596.cached.jpg
Rico Torres/Netflix

JEN YAMATO
BADASS02.24.16 1:42 AM ET
Michelle Yeoh on ‘Crouching Tiger 2,’ Girl Power, and Anti-China Trump (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/24/michelle-yeoh-on-crouching-tiger-2-girl-power-and-anti-china-trump.html)

The star of Netflix’s ‘Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,’ out Feb. 26, opens up about the high-flying sequel, Chinese censorship, and American politics.
Sixteen years after introducing Western audiences to the wire-flying martial arts operatics of Chinese wuxia, Malaysian-born superstar Michelle Yeoh is the sole warrior making her way back to the screen for more Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
A lot’s changed in the decade and a half since Ang Lee’s Mandarin language co-production scored an Oscar and $213 million at the global box office, becoming the biggest foreign language crossover hit of all-time.
When the long-awaited sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny debuts this Friday on Netflix, it arrives at a peculiar period in Hollywood, when streaming is disrupting the studios’ traditional distribution infrastructure and studios are scrambling to harness the potential of China’s massive, content-hungry consumers.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 still tells a very Chinese tale. It just tells it in English, the better to sell it to U.S. audiences.
“There was always talk [of a sequel], right from the beginning,” recalled Yeoh, speaking with The Daily Beast in Netflix’s Beverly Hills HQ. “You know when a movie becomes very successful, it’s automatic that people will start thinking a sequel, a prequel, a quel-quel,” she laughed, “and suddenly, it’s 16 years later.”
Yeoh reprises her BAFTA-nominated role of Yu Shu Lien, the Wudang master warrior whom fate again calls upon to protect a powerful sword known as the Green Destiny. Twenty years have passed since she lost her unrequited love, Li Mu Bai, and although co-stars Chow Yun Fat and Zhang Ziyi are absent this time around, Yeoh is now joined by Donnie Yen—arguably the biggest martial arts star working today—who plays a long-lost lover only mentioned in the first film.
“I always knew that Ziyi and Chow would not be there,” Yeoh said. “The biggest thing people would ask is, ‘How could you do it without Ang Lee?’ But I know Ang! He would never do the same thing twice, and why would he?”
“If you look at his repertoire of films you never know from one subject to the next subject where he’s going to take you, and that’s the beauty and the glory of Ang,” she continued. “So I knew there was no way that if ever we did Crouching Tiger 2 that Ang would be the director. Maybe he would produce, or have a little part to play, but that’s not really him.”
Supermogul Harvey Weinstein, who produced the sequel and will distribute it theatrically through his Weinstein Company, enticed her to return to the Crouching Tiger world two decades later. So did the prospect of reteaming with legendary martial arts choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping, who had crafted the first film’s sensational action and fight scenes.
“I was very curious to see how Harvey would make it exciting,” Yeoh said, revving up an all-too brief Weinstein impersonation. “He said to me, [growling] ‘I can’t make this movie without you!’ Then when Master Yuen Woo-ping came on… I’ve always been the biggest fan of his work and I truly believe he is the grandmaster of the wuxia world.”
The new Crouching Tiger also reflects a post-millennial world that is far more globalized than it was back in 2000. China is still a major target market—the film opened there before releasing stateside, and has already made $20.8 million in its first weekend—but the English-language sequel stars an international cast that hails from all over the world, reflecting a diverse pan-Asian representation from Glee’s Harry Shum, Jr. to Jason Scott Lee to Aussie newcomer Natasha Liu Bordizzo. “It’s a little United Nations, behind the camera and in front of the camera,” she beamed.
Yeoh had carved out a career as a Hong Kong action star working with the likes of Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan before taking transitional stabs at Hollywood in the late ‘90s, first as an ass-kicking Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies. The enormous success of Crouching Tiger made her an international star. She produced her first movie two years later and made a run of Western films like Memoirs of a Geisha, Sunshine, Kung Fu Panda 2, and the third installment of The Mummy franchise.
“As a producer, what you want to do is make the next hit. But you also want to lead the audience into wanting to watch different movies,” she mused. “You have to vary your content. There is no guaranteed formula. And that’s one of the interesting things about filmmaking. You could put $115 million in and it doesn’t guarantee success.”
Making a Chinese historical epic for an international audience these days requires a careful balance of interests. “You have to have integrity. You have to protect certain cultural [elements] otherwise it’s just *******ized, and you don’t want that. But it depends on the kind of film that you’re making because there will be the much more artistic films and there will be the ones that are just complete comedy, where you have no responsibility but to make people go stupid from laughing.”

http://cdn.thedailybeast.com/content/dailybeast/articles/2016/02/24/michelle-yeoh-on-crouching-tiger-2-girl-power-and-anti-china-trump/jcr:content/body/inlineimage.img.800.jpg/48543596.cached.jpg
Rico Torres/Netflix

Yeoh considered reports from last year that the Chinese government’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television (SAPPRFT) had passed on a bill of censorship instructing the filmmakers to tone down the gore and violence and diminishing an element of anti-Qing dynasty sentiment in the film.
“I think when you go into any country they have their own censorship requirements,” she said. “And if you want to play in somebody’s playground, you have to play by their rules. But at least they’re very clear about telling you, ‘If you’re going to film in my country, you will have to respect certain boundaries’—and I think that’s very fair.”
“If you [say] I don’t like your ideas, then you will go film somewhere else,” Yeoh continued. “Then you will just not be able to have the privilege of going into that market.”
Crouching Tiger 2 needn’t worry about being read as overly political. It opts instead for broad stroke themes familiar to the genre: honor, loyalty, honoring the past while protecting the future.
“In the first one you met only two warriors, and it was more about unrequited love,” said Yeoh. “It was about love, really. In this one, Master Yuen Woo-Ping, who is the grandmaster of the genre, shows you the depths of what the martial arts world is about. People are laying down their lives for a code of honor, for loyalty, for a promise. And you’re thinking, what are these people thinking? It’s not for money or fame or glory.”
Yeoh giggles at the mention of her 1985 film Yes, Madam, in which she played a cop alongside American action heroine Cynthia Rothrock. “Oh my god, that was my first action-kick-ass film! That was thirty years ago, when I first started in Hong Kong,” she marveled. There was no thrill quite like making that first action pic, she remembered. Directed by Corey Yuen, it earned her a Best New Performer nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards and spawned several sequels. It was also the start of the previously untrained Yeoh’s reputation for performing her own stunts.
“I can’t even begin to explain to you… only when you’re doing that and you’re on set kicking ass and beating down like five guys…” continued next post

[GeneChing]

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/s379/PoP_GIFs/zz_PoPfOC_Mg_001393.gif

Nowadays Yeoh splits time between Paris and Geneva, where her fiancé lives, and her home country of Malaysia. She used to keep her own home base in Hong Kong, until the film business slowed down so now, she says with a smile, “I’m based on the plane. It’s awful!”
Globetrotting has given her some outside perspective on the 2016 American Presidential race. Despite living and breathing the life of Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi in 2011’s biographical drama The Lady, Yeoh admits, “I’m not a political person.”
But some things are inescapable no matter where you are in the world. Yeoh weighed in on the anti-Chinese policy of GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
“Oh god! I hear there’s a very outspoken one who would say ban Muslims and don’t let China in, but I don’t think you can isolate yourself like that,” she laughed. “It doesn’t sound right. I think all the superpowers have to work together for a peaceful world and when you have someone who’s so radical, I find that kind of … strange that that would happen.”
“I think that everybody, when you’re on the outside looking in [on American politics] you go, ‘What the heck…? Is that reality TV? Maybe it’s a joke!’ Because you look at it and go, I can’t believe this…”
She sighs over the ongoing debate in Hollywood about the lack of diversity seen onscreen. “Maybe the Asian community should complain as well,” she said. “It’s very unfortunate and it’s very sad when certain groups of us feel forgotten, or not given the attention… so we have to keep fighting the battle and make things change.”
Unlike most mainstream action movies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 happens to boast an unusually large number of female characters who not only pass the Bechdel Test, they do so while battling with their hands, feet, and swords. Like the first film, it’s the rare female-led action movie with several distinct female characters, both heroic and villainous. Yeoh’s Shu Lien and Bordizzo’s Snow Vase also share a kind of relationship that is seldom seen in the wuxia genre— one between a female teacher and student.
“I think when you look at the number of roles that are out there… we fight valiantly for better roles for women,” praised Yeoh, one of the most prominent Asian female stars on the planet. “We constantly do that. I think in Asia we seem to have stronger female roles, or at least I’ve had the privilege of playing them. It’s something that we have not stopped fighting for.”
Yeoh, who turned 53 last August, once again did her own stunts—and plenty of them, including several intricately choreographed sword battles and lots of spectacular wire work. “I love it!” she exclaimed. “I hike, I’m in relatively good—I’m in very good shape, actually. Because I work hard at it. I sometimes sit there and go, ‘Whoa—Hang on, I’m fifty-something. Am I not supposed to be doing this?’ And you think, what the hell. I’m just going to keep doing this because I’m having fun.”

I still hold a candle for Michelle...:D

[GeneChing]

John Fusco on CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1284) by me. :cool:

[GeneChing]

...a HuffPost blog. :cool:


Crouching Tiger, Hidden Origins (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-fusco/crouching-tiger-hidden-origins_b_9294094.html)
02/23/2016 01:19 pm ET | Updated 1 day ago

John Fusco
Writer-producer of Young Guns, Thunderheart, Hidalgo, The Forbidden Kingdom, and creator of Original Netflix Series Marco Polo

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2016-02-22-1456179508-3040291-JohnFusco-thumb.jpg

As both a filmmaker and martial artist, there are few modern movies that I regard as highly as Ang Lee's masterful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. So when Harvey Weinstein first proposed the idea of revisiting the franchise, I said that I had no interest in writing a straight-up sequel to such a beloved and groundbreaking classic. As it turned out, neither did Harvey.

What Harvey wished to explore -- and what I soon found to be a captivating idea -- was to return to the obscure literary source that inspired the 2000 film: The work of Chinese writer Wang Dulu and his Crane-Iron pentalogy. Little-known outside of China, and mostly forgotten in its homeland, the Crane-Iron stories are a five-part fantasy series that chronicle four generations of martial heroes.

With titles such as Precious Sword, Golden Hairpin (Book Two) and Sword Force, Pearl Shine (Book three), the fourth book, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, was the basis for the Ang Lee film, although Lee also drew key elements from the first three. The fifth and final book, Iron Knight, Silver Vase had never been adapted and stood as a forgotten final chapter to a pentalogy that introduced a new generation of star-crossed lovers and Wuxia heroes.

Although few know the name Wang Dulu, he well deserves to be remembered as a writer who perfected the Wuxia genre, paving the way for the fantasy literature that would inspire martial arts cinema as we know it. The opportunity to revisit Wang's epic story-world and create more of a stand-alone treatment of the final book rather than a sequel to the classic film was intriguing -- not just to Harvey and myself, but to Master Yuen Woo-Ping.

Master Yuen, the legendary fight choreographer and director of many of the classic Hong Kong films that inspired Ang Lee to create Crouching Tiger, viewed it as an opportunity to direct his own Crane-Iron tale. While Lee's film has been deservedly hailed as an artistic drama with kung fu -- "Sense and Sensibility with martial arts" some have called it -- Master Yuen embraced the opportunity to adapt the final Crane-Iron book in the pure, Wuxia action style he is known for.

With over 70 film credits, Yuen Woo-Ping began as a fight choreographer in the early '70s and directed his first actioners in '78, helming two movies with the young Jackie Chan: Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master. He would go on to direct and influence the careers of such action stars as Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Jet Li, and Michelle Yeoh. This venerated lineage was not lost on the Wachowski's who sought out Yuen in 1999 for The Matrix, or on Quentin Tarantino who would enlist the master's choreography for his Kill Bill films.

As a director, Yuen Woo-Ping knows the Wuxia vernacular like few others. He essentially created the dance-like, gravity-defying, fighting-in-tree-tops style that has become synonymous with Crouching Tiger. Yet it's a traditional language that found its form in the written works of modern Wuxia writers like Jin Yong, Liang Yusheng, and Wang Dulu.

For me, Sword of Destiny has been a journey back to the source. Not just to the unsung literary roots of martial arts cinema, but into the workshop of one of the genre's pioneers, an iconic action directer who is comfortably at home honoring and celebrating those roots, even as he continually ups his game. I think the late Wang Dulu would have been pleased to see his final Crane-Iron story, the lost chapter, come to life in the hands of a director who truly lives and breathes the world of pure Wuxia.

Follow John Fusco on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnFusco12

[GeneChing]

Why so many theater chains are refusing to screen Netflix's 'Crouching Tiger' sequel (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-netflix-movies-battle-crouching-tiger-20160225-story.html)

http://www.trbimg.com/img-56ce6614/turbine/la-crouching-tiger-05-jpg-20160224/750/750x422
Netflix
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" will be available for streaming on Netflix on Friday, when it hits theaters. (Rico Torres / Netflix)

Yvonne Villarreal

Netflix's latest movie release, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,” will hit theaters Friday, but it won't pack much of a punch at the U.S. box office.

That's because the follow-up to the Oscar-winning martial arts epic will only play in about a dozen IMAX theaters around the country — a far cry from the original film, which was released in more than 2,000 theaters and became the most successful foreign language film.

The nation's largest theater chains have balked at Netflix's plans to release the movie in the home on the same day it appears in cinemas.

Netflix views so-called day-and-date releases as the wave of the future, giving consumers what they want when they want it across platforms. But theater owners say collapsing traditional theatrical release windows undermines their business. A similar dispute erupted last year when Netflix announced simultaneous release plans for the critically acclaimed “Beasts of No Nation,” which opened in October and was deemed a box office flop.

The conflict has renewed long-standing tensions in Hollywood over when movies are released into the home. It also underscores the challenges Netflix confronts as it seeks to change the conventions of the film industry.

“It's going to be very, very difficult for Netflix to get the major theater chains to carry its movies,” said FBR Capital Markets analyst Barton Crockett. “It's really not going to make much money from playing these movies in movie theaters in the United States.”

Netflix's rising Hollywood profile was on display recently at the recent Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The Los Gatos, Calif., company, along with rival Amazon.com, made a splash by paying more than $30 million to buy movie titles at the festival. Amazon also recently bought the rights to Woody Allen's next film. The size of such deals and the star power associated with the movies put the industry on notice that streaming companies are serious about their film aspirations.

Original movies can bring cachet and prestige to their services, especially if they win awards, and provide another way to attract subscribers.

“It was kind of a no-brainer that the streaming services would try to exploit their movie ambitions this way,” said Michael Nathanson, a media analyst with Moffett Nathanson Research. “It all goes to branding. The more exclusivity you can offer, it helps build brand support.”

Netflix, which changed how consumers watch television, offers something powerful to filmmakers: a vast global audience with some 75 million subscribers. But most filmmakers still want their movies to be seen on the big screen, and Netflix has had strained relations with the nation's largest theater chains. They bristle at the idea that the streaming giant is giving consumers more choices to watch movies.

“Netflix's commitment to consumer choice only extends as far as it benefits Netflix,” said Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the National Assn. of Theatre Owners.

Representatives of Netflix declined to comment.

Netflix executives have argued that making movies available in the home and theaters at the same time is simply a matter of giving consumers what they want in an on-demand world.

“When people hear about things in the Internet world, they expect to be able to have access to it right then,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told The Times when it announced its movie ambitions in 2014.

Theater owners, however, have been fiercely protective of the traditional theatrical release window — the time between when a movie premieres in cinemas and when it is available for home viewing on DVD or video on demand. They argue that dismantling the current window (typically about 90 days) gives consumers less incentive to trek to the multiplex, thereby undermining their business.

In 2011, several major chains vowed not to screen the Ben Stiller-Eddie Murphy comedy “Tower Heist” after Universal Pictures planned to make the movie available at a premium price to consumers just three weeks after its launch in theaters.

Netflix found itself the target of the exhibition industry's wrath in 2014 when it announced plans for a day-and-date release of the sequel to ‘Crouching Tiger' in select Imax theaters.

“We will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3 [inches] wide on a smart phone,” said a statement from Regal, the nation's largest theater chain. “We believe the choice for enjoying a magnificent movie is clear.”

Other chains also refused to screen the film.

Locally, the only cinema showing the movie is an AMC multiplex in the San Gabriel Valley, which has a large Chinese community.

Corcoran said cinema owners had the right to refuse to screen movies released simultaneously in the home.

“They're dedicating their screen time, and they want to maximize the audience they can get, and if a company is releasing a movie in which there isn't a commitment to supporting the theater, theater owners are going to take that into account,” he said.

“Sword of Destiny's” modest theatrical rollout stands in contrast to the original film in 2000 and directed by Ang Lee. “Crouching Tiger” drew record crowds in Los Angeles and New York and became an indie sensation, grossing more than $128 million domestically.

Ticket sales for the sequel, which has Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen reprising their roles, are expected to be well below that level.

But Sarandos contends that global streaming views and credibility for its original content are more important to its bottom line than ticket sales. He also expects the movie to do well globally.

Imax is releasing the film in 287 theaters in China, where the film opened last week with a modest $21 million over the weekend, according to industry consulting firm Artisan Gateway.

“It's a fantastic piece of Chinese storytelling that will travel around the world in a way that Chinese movies don't,” Sarandos told The Times last month. “It will be a global sensation the way China would like to see themselves in the media landscape.”

Netflix is not alone in its desire to be a player in the film business. Amazon has also been aggressively trying to broaden its programming beyond television. But Amazon is taking a different approach to distribution by making films available on the Amazon Prime streaming platform only after they're released in theaters.

The Seattle e-commerce giant, known in the TV world for such series as “Transparent” and “Mozart in the Jungle,” recently partnered with Roadside Attractions to release Spike Lee's “Chi-Raq” exclusively in 305 theaters in December before putting it up on its streaming service less than a month later.

At Sundance, Amazon acquired six film titles, including “Manchester by the Sea,” a family drama starring Casey Affleck that it purchased for $10 million — the second-largest deal at this year's indie movie festival. And Amazon last week acquired the North American rights to Woody Allen's upcoming but as-yet-untitled feature.

“I think it's good for customers and good for filmmakers to have the movies get into theaters and have a robust theatrical run,” Amazon Studios' chief Roy Price told the Times. “Obviously, [the big screen] is the best way to see a movie.... I think preserving the theatrical experience and the theatrical window makes sense for everybody and we support that — it's an important part of our approach.”

On a cursory search, I only see it playing at one nearby house, AMC Cupertino Square 16 - it's in IMAX 3D there. Coincidentally, The Mermaid (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69162-The-Mermaid) is also playing there, with half the showings in 3D.

[GeneChing]

Not only this, but updates on DareDevil (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19985-DareDevil&p=1291375#post1291375) and Iron Fist (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49086-Iron-Fist&p=1291369#post1291369).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ9GkitBkYQ

[GeneChing]

She's unknown to me until now, but she made Vogue.


Meet Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Hollywood’s Next Action Supernova (http://www.vogue.com/13406325/natasha-liu-bordizzo-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sword-of-destiny-martial-arts-fitness-beauty/)
FEBRUARY 25, 2016 3:22 PM
by LAURA REGENSDORF

http://media.vogue.com/r/w_2560/2016/02/25/1-natasha-liu-bordizzo.jpg
Photo: Courtesy of Natasha Liu Bordizzo / @natashaliubordizzo

When Natasha Liu Bordizzo makes her wide-screen debut on Friday in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, premiering in IMAX theaters and on Netflix, she will have a much smaller screen to thank. “My agent in Sydney, she found me on Instagram,” the Australian beauty explained by phone this week from Los Angeles, where she is just setting down roots. If Liu Bordizzo’s career beginnings have a fairy-tale ring, so does the story of her first-ever audition. After reading for a supporting role in the follow-up to the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, she got a surprise call the next day announcing that she’d landed the lead. “I flew to New Zealand [to the set] a week later, I dropped out of university, and here I am,” she said, still a bit incredulous two years later.

With her finely modeled features, calligraphy-stroke eyebrows, and dimpled chin, Liu Bordizzo cuts a striking figure as Snow Vase, the free-spirited ingenue who trains under Yu Shu Lien (played by the regal Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role). Though certain aspects of the sequel are quite a departure from Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning original—the unconventional distribution; a new director (the respected martial arts choreographer Woo-Ping Yuen; and dialogue in English, not Mandarin—the fight scenes still reveal an impressive technical mastery. And Liu Bordizzo accepted the challenge: Already a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, she underwent intensive training in Wudang sword-fighting. Here, the 21-year-old talks about the rigors of the two martial arts disciplines, what saves her skin on long-haul flights, and why breakfast rules the day.

You’re part Chinese and part Italian—did you grow up with any traditional Chinese notions of beauty?
It’s like that stereotype that Asians will carry umbrellas—now I’m one of them because it’s so necessary, especially in Sydney. The best way to avoid sun aging is just prevention. CosMedix has a great hydrating sun mist—that’s my go-to.

How did you first get interested in martial arts?
When I was about 9 or 10, my parents told me I’d either have to start martial arts or dance. I was always a tomboy, so of course I was like, “Martial arts, definitely. I’m not a ballerina—come on!” And I stuck with it. Through my teenage years it really became an outlet for me to let out any frustration. I think it transfers into your life as well: You just become more disciplined and more focused.

http://media.vogue.com/r/w_2560/2016/02/25/2-natasha-liu-bordizzo.jpg
Photo: Courtesy of Natasha Liu Bordizzo / @natashaliubordizzo

Both the original Crouching Tiger and the sequel center on master-student relationships. Who did you study with to learn Wudang sword-fighting, and what was that process like?
It was kind of terrifying because Master [Woo-Ping] Yuen is, like, legendary. He choreographed Kill Bill, the first Crouching Tiger, [and] The Matrix. I had Tae Kwon Do, but that was just so different from Wudang that it was like starting from day one again with the best choreographer in the world. It was pretty intense. I was in the dojang from about 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., five days a week. We definitely got there in the end.

What part of your body was most affected by Wudang?
Funnily enough, it was probably my arms. Everything else hurt, of course, but twirling that sword and holding it out—it’s not something you usually ever do. I had one scene with Harry Shum, Jr. where we don’t use weapons. It’s the only scene in the movie that’s just us—body on body, fist on fist—and that was really hard because he’s a professional dancer. He’s like a stone! [laughs] I would hit him, and then my hand would be, like, broken, so that was definitely the most challenging fight in the movie.

You’re no stranger to long-haul flying. Do you have an in-flight skin-care routine?
Now I do! I use this amazing black rose mask by Sisley. I just slather that on. And there’s a hydrating mist from CosMedix that’s great as well. I try to sleep on the plane, but I remember to wake up and quickly cleanse and apply moisturizer because the plane definitely gets to your skin.

Healthy living seems to be the norm in Australia, starting with a solid brekkie. Are you much of a breakfast person?
Oh, my God, yes! It’s my favorite meal of the day. Right now I’m eating Farmer Jo [muesli] from Sydney, and then I just add different things every morning to keep it interesting, like cinnamon, blueberries, bananas, [and] coconut milk. [In Los Angeles] I love Blu Jam and Earthbar—the smoothies there. It’s so easy to be healthy in L.A.!

http://media.vogue.com/r/w_2560/2016/02/25/3-natasha-liu-bordizzo.jpg
Photo: Courtesy of Natasha Liu Bordizzo / @natashaliubordizzo

And she'll make our sword hotties page for sure. I just found this great shot below.

Michelle Yeoh Reprises Her Role in 'Crouching Tiger' Sequel (http://m.voanews.com/a/michelle-yeoh-reprises-her-rold-in-crouching-tiger-sequel/3105382.html)
December 16, 2015 Associated Press

http://gdb.voanews.com/00A8A599-0CA3-4550-AC0E-6339E858B540_cx0_cy3_cw0_w1000_r1_s_r1.jpg
Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, second left, and Australian actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo, center, react as they act on stage during a press conference for the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" in Beijing, China, Dec. 15, 2015.

BEIJING, CHINA —
Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh said Tuesday that she has been waiting many years to reprise her role in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in an upcoming sequel to the supernatural martial arts movie.

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,” centers around the protection of a legendary sword.

It also stars Donnie Yen of the “Ip Man” martial arts films and “The Monkey King” as “Silent Wolf,” Harry Shum Jr., who played Mike Chang in the TV series “Glee,” and Jason Scott Lee.

“We've been waiting for this film for many, many years,” Yeoh said at an event in Beijing marking the new movie, which will be released on Feb. 8 in theaters in China and on Feb. 26 in the U.S. on Netflix and in selected theaters.

In her first movie appearance, Australian actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Yeoh's apprentice. Liu Bordizzo, also at the event in Beijing, said she thought the sequel had the potential to replicate the 2000 movie's success.

“I think the first story is known so much for a beautiful story and not just the martial arts and I think our film definitely also has that element - we have a beautiful story as well as so many layers,” she said.

The original was filmed in Mandarin. The sequel is in English and will be dubbed into Mandarin for its release in China.

[GeneChing]

This film is just like KFP3 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60650-Kung-Fu-Panda-3&p=1290391#post1290391). It's all about the China box office - Hollywood, not so much.


‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny’ Tops $32M In China As Netflix Begins International Rollout (http://deadline.com/2016/02/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sword-of-destiny-sequel-china-box-office-netflix-1201709675/)
by Nancy Tartaglione
February 26, 2016 7:16am

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/crouching-tiger-sword-of-destiny.jpg?w=446&h=299&crop=1
Netflix

Sixteen years after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon became a worldwide phenomenon, the sequel was unsheathed last Friday in China. After a week of play in a very competitive market, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword Of Destiny has grossed $32M. That’s more than double the Middle Kingdom lifetime of the previous film and sets up the international rollout as Netflix makes it available today in the U.S. and elsewhere abroad.

Sword Of Destiny is a co-production between The Weinstein Co, Netflix and China Film Group and gives the movie local Chinese status meaning TWC and Netflix recoup a higher percentage of the box office than if this had gone in under the quota system. The PROC release of the Yuen Woo-ping-helmed sort-of-sequel was handled by The Weinstein Co, Netflix and local partners Pegasus and CFG. Harvey Weinstein has called it “a summation of my lifelong passion for Chinese culture in general and wuxia cinema in specific.” He details his experience making the film here.

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/crouching-tiger-sword-of-destiny2.jpg?w=301&h=202&crop=1

The China release came near the tail end of the Lunar New Year holiday period, opening with about $10M last Friday and landing No. 2 behind now all-time box office champ The Mermaid ($450M+). Sword Of Destiny held well during the past week even as folks returned to work and school. It’s stayed in the Top 3 throughout the frame which saw The Mermaid maintain the bulk of the territory’s screens during its third week. On Thursday, for example, there were a reported 63K showings of The Mermaid versus 32K of Sword Of Destiny which is running ahead of New Year hit The Man From Macau 3. That film incidentally stars Chow Yun-fat whose character died in the first Crouching Tiger.

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/crouching-tiger-media-event-beijing.jpg?w=301&h=202&crop=1

Michelle Yeoh returns from the 2000 wuxia film alongside Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen (who’s next up in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and xXx), Harry Shum Jr and Jason Scott Lee. Talent came out to promote the film in the PROC well ahead of the release.

Yeoh reprises her role as Yu Shu-Lien, the renowned and lovelorn warrior who must protect the legendary Green Destiny sword against evil warlord Hades (Lee). Yen plays Silent Wolf, Shu-Lien’s former fiancé, who she thought had been killed by Hades years earlier.

Netflix’s global rollout began today in over 190 countries. This was born of a deal between the streaming giant and The Weinstein Co that was hatched in the fall of 2014. Sword Of Destiny is also hitting about a dozen IMAX screens today in North America.

There's that pic of Natasha again...

[PalmStriker]

:) Can't wait to watch this movie on Netflix this weekend ! Excellentia !

[-N-]

I'm looking forward to watching this on Netflix this Friday. That'll be my reward for surviving this week.

Watching it right now.

Looks and sounds like a made for tv movie. And the English dialogue doesn't help.

[GeneChing]

CTHD2 reminded me of the film 2010 (1984 ironically, starring John Lithgow, Helen Mirren and Roy Scheider) - It wasn't a bad film if you could overlook the original, but the original was such a game changer that it's impossible to overlook. In both cases, the second installment is completely overshadowed and dwarfed by the original.

On the plus side: lots of sword fights. Michelle & Donnie squeezed a little acting in. Harry and newcomer Natasha were good. It had some cinematic panoramic moments that might have been good on the big screen. But a pretty standard Kung fu flick overall. Yuen Woo Ping's fights are so physics-defying wire work that it has become his signature style, and I didn't feel he brought anything that fresh to his work

It has already made decent box in PRC. Again, it's about all about China, something I've been watching closely for years now and am just too dumb to figure out how to cash in on the trending shift. The ironic thing is that the original never played in PRC, which is probably why 2 is doing well there. Chinese speakers rejected the original because everyone's accent was off, which I've likened to doing Shakespeare with a Texan drawl. When Netflix said they'd release it simultaneous to the theatrical premiere, many U.S. theater chains boycotted. But it's just as well because I doubt it could stand up to Deadpool (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1282) right now. There's a timely big-picture commentary I might publish about this, but I'll probably refrain beyond a mention in my print column.

[GeneChing]

...she was one of the best parts of CTHD2 for sure... a breakout martial ingénue.


Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s Career Takes Flight With ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny’ (http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2016/02/26/natasha-liu-bordizzos-career-takes-flight-with-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sword-of-destiny/)
Friday, February 26th, 2016 at 8:55am PST - by Scott Huver

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/crouching2-570x297.jpg

Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s story may end up being the envy of fledgling actors everywhere.

With a background in martial arts but virtually no experience in entertainment, the 19-year-old Australian college student responded to an open casting call for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” in her native Sydney, bringing to a halt the worldwide search conducted by the film’s director Yuen Woo-ping, the wuxia wireworks maestro for Ang Lee’s 2000 original.

Bordizzo was instantly cast as Snow Vase, a new young character trying to understand her place in the epic world.

Mere days after moving to Hollywood to see if her good fortune will continue, the now 21-year-old Bordizzo joined Spinoff Online in the Beverly Hills offices of Netflix, which debuts the film today, to talk about her extraordinary career path.

Spinoff Online: So, instant movie star …

Natasha Liu Bordizzo: Uh, no – not yet! [Laughs]

This had to feel like a pretty crazy experience for you, to just kind of step in and say. “Hey, how about me?” And they say, “Sure!”

Yeah, that was my first audition. I mean, I don’t even know how to say that to actors’ faces. I’m like, “Yeah, ‘Crouching Tiger’ was my first audition. You hate me now, don’t you?” Especially now that I’m auditioning and doing pilot season, I’m like, “Holy crap! That was insane!” But that was my first audition. Yeah.

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/crouching3.jpg

Tell me, what was the thing that pushed you to do something like that? To say “I’m going to go audition for this thing.”

To be honest, I was pushed. I was just studying, and I was in university in Sydney, which is where I’m from. Then, my agent – my now-agent – she is a boutique model/actor agent in Sydney, and she scouted me for modeling. And I was like, “I’m very busy, I’m studying, I don’t think I have time for that.” And I just didn’t have much interest in it.

Then she said, “OK, well, how about acting?” And she put me forward for this audition, and I went out of curiosity because I’ve never liked drama very much. I have stage fright and I’m a little bit of an introvert. I just don’t like those situations in high school where it’s drama class and everyone’s just trying to be really loud and everything. So I found this strange thing about film is that it’s so intimate and it’s not about being big or dramatic, it’s just an imitation of life. So I just fell into it because it just felt really right.

How nervous were you on that first day of shooting?

Pretty nervous. But you know what helped, though? My first week of shooting was actually action scenes with no dialogue. So I wasn’t as nervous as I would have been if it was a dialogue scene. So I think I was just trying to go through the motions and not get killed by Harry in that scene. We filmed that nighttime scene where we’re trying to steal the sword, was our first week filming.

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/crouching4-570x307.jpg

Give me a little bit of your history with martial arts. How early on did you take an interest in it and show some real skill for it?

I started taekwondo when I was 9 or 10. My parents basically said to me, “You can do martial arts or you can do dance – choose.” And I was always a tomboy, so I said of course I’d rather do martial arts. I was like, “Please, I’m not doing ballet.”

There was a dojo near my house, and I started going and I just found that it was like an outlet in my teenage years, just maybe to vent frustration. It was a space where there was a lot of respect of discipline, and it was just really formative for me as a teenager to have that space away from high school and everything that is growing up to where you’re just really treated with respect and you treat others with respect.

It was more like that affected my life that I loved as well. I think first and foremost, I’m still an actor, though. If martial arts adds to the story, I’m very happy to take that on board as well.

How much did your real discipline in martial arts come into play? Or did you have to say, “Oh, you want movie martial arts.”

Well, I think with nontraditional Wushu, just general action, like a general TV show, it’s a lot more faking it because you can just do something that looks flashy but it’s not actually. But with our movie, we had to really do most of the movements. It’s really hard to fake it. There’s a certain grace to Wushu that it’s almost between dance and martial arts. So we really did do most of what is in the movie. I’d say I did, like, 80 percent of my stunts. So it was a crash course.

And very little of that helps you when you’re on a wire rig and spinning around, as Harry Shum was just telling me. All his dance discipline really didn’t –

No, nothing helps you.

It doesn’t help you with gravity.

Nothing helps you with gravity, apart from practice. The wirework, it looks easy, it looks like you’re feather-light, and you’re just flying around. It’s not. It’s, like, you have to tense your entire body to just stay straight. For some reason, you always want to be doing this. So the wirework is very challenging, actually. I have double the amount of respect for watching the action sequences that I have of actors on wires, because now I realize how hard it is.

What’s the craziest situation you found yourself in while dangling from cables?

Oh, my God. There was one scene at the pagoda, which is where I fight the villain Hades Dai. I had to be doing backflips and every other thing in front of a crowd of like 100 soldier extras. And there was just so much … Jason Scott Lee, who plays Hades Dai, he’s terrifying in character. He runs at you like a full muscle train and does not stop. The fear was real. There was no acting in that scene. So that was a pretty crazy whole sequence there.

Of all the other physical things that you had to get familiar with to do the role, what did you take to right away – like, “Hey, I’m good at this?” And what was the most tricky to master?

I think, predictably, I was better at the scene that doesn’t involve weapons, which is the one with Harry where we’re at night just kind of wrestling and punching. Just fighting. But I think possibly, I’m trying to think of the exact scene that I struggled the most with. Weapons in general was new to me.

So I think honing my skills to be to the point of approval of Master Yuen [Woo-ping], who’s a legend, that was a daily task for me. Yeah. His approval is not easy. If he does this to you [flashes a low-key “OK” gesture], you know that you’ve done amazingly well. That’s all he’ll give you.

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/crouching1.jpg

Tell me about, physicality aside, what intrigued you about the character? What did you find yourself loving about walking around in her shoes?

When I first read the script, I was really amazed at the fact that it’s this young, impulsive female warrior who kind of is pivotal to a lot of the story. I think that she comes from a lonely kind of upbringing, because she was raised very much like a warrior, a student, instead of a daughter. She feels kind of misplaced a lot of the time.

She’s kind of guarded, but she’s seeking love and guidance, which is kind of what she gets from Yu Shu Lien, Michelle Yeoh’s character. I just love there’s so many layers involved. She’s secretive. She’s got this past. She’s sneaky, but she wants guidance, but she’s guarded, but she’s fiery and temperamental. She’s got flaws and she’s a real person.

Where did the original movie come into your life? Was it something from childhood or did you recently discover it?

No, I was 5, I think, when the original came out, and I never saw it. I think I watched bits of it when my parents were watching it in the living room maybe, sometimes. But I watched it for the first time as preparation for this movie. Ever since then, I’ve dived a lot more into the Chinese side of my culture and just Wushu and Hong Kong cinema in general.

I think that because my generation’s a little bit cut off from that film in the sense, where we’re just too young to have seen it when it came out and was a big thing, I think that makes us see this movie more as a standalone because of that. I think my friends haven’t really seen the first one either. We just kind of missed it because of that gap. They’re excited about this as a new, fresh project.

How’s university looking now? You going to go back?

That’s long gone. I quit; I just dropped out. There’s a period where I was trying to do both for a few months, and it just didn’t work. You have to kind of do a hundred or nothing with acting. Yeah, maybe later in life, but I’m very focused.

Are you hooked? Do you feel like “This is my thing I should have been doing all along”?

Definitely. Yeah, it was weird. I never thought … you know, it’s one of those things. Fate, I don’t know. Is that too strong a word? Everything that I enjoyed is kind of melded into acting. I love photography, I love writing, I love film as well. But I never thought I’d actually be in the films. But yeah, I’m very passionate.

[-N-]

http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-sword-of-destiny-review-1201717291/


The magic of Ang Lee's rapturous 2000 Oscar winner is nowhere to be found in this cynical cash grab of a sequel.

What a lousy year for long-delayed sequels: It may not be a stink bomb of “Zoolander 2” proportions, but in many ways “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” feels like an even more cynical cash grab. Trading on the pedigree of Ang Lee’s 2000 Oscar winner but capturing none of its soulful poetry, this martial-arts mediocrity has airborne warriors aplenty but remains a dispiritingly leaden affair with its mechanical storytelling, purely functional action sequences and clunky English-language performances. The result has grossed a healthy $32 million in China so far and began its Stateside streaming release on Friday (while opening on about a dozen Imax screens), but regardless of how it fares, exec producer Harvey Weinstein’s latest dubious non-contribution to Asian cinema will add some quick coin but no luster to Netflix’s library.

The singular magic that made Lee’s film such a boundary-breaking triumph — it won four Oscars and is still the highest-grossing foreign-language film in North America — is nowhere to be found in a production that seems predicated entirely on cost-effectiveness and compromise. Although “Sword of Destiny” has similar roots in the Chinese novelist Wang Dulu’s “Iron Crane” pentalogy and features a return appearance by Michelle Yeoh as the wise and formidable fighter Yu Shu Lien, it’s a work that feels dispiritingly cut off from its predecessor; not even the ascension to the director’s chair of Yuen Wo-ping (the veteran action choreographer behind much of the original film’s kung fu wizardry) can ensure much in the way of visual or dramatic continuity. And thanks to the filmmakers’ decision to shoot in English (with dubbed versions playing in Chinese territories) and to shoot primarily in New Zealand, with Grant Major (“The Lord of the Rings”) enlisted as production designer, the result is a sequel often feels less Middle Kingdom than Middle-earth. [...]

Spot on. I was wondering why the movie had such a Lord of the Rings feel too.

[Jimbo]

I had little interest in seeing this before, and now I have even less. The fact that it's a movie set in old China but filmed in English(!) is a big factor. Who cares if the Mandarin accents were "wrong" in the original? It's still more accurate than having them speaking English.

[GeneChing]

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny, which has grossed a healthy $36.8 million in the Chinese market, despite withering local reviews.


I had little interest in seeing this before, and now I have even less. The fact that it's a movie set in old China but filmed in English(!) is a big factor. Who cares if the Mandarin accents were "wrong" in the original? It's still more accurate than having them speaking English.

Actually, it's all about the accent. CTHD was very poorly received because of the accents and many critics at the time said it was a manipulative move on behalf of Ang Lee. CTHD wasn't a Kung Fu movie made for the Taiwanese/Asian market at all. The accents betray that. It was always Hollywood bound. Now, over a decade and a half later, the tables have turned. Let's make a Kung Fu movie for China in English. It's not for the U.S. theatrical market at all. It didn't even chart on Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=crouchingtiger2.htm) for Domestic, only for China and Hong Kong. In my area, the SF Bay Area, which is a fat market for 'Asian' films, I can only find it playing in one IMAX house (there may be more, but I'm not going to search that aggressively as the point is made). It was really all about Netflix here.

All that being said, it's still worth a view on Netflix if you have it, mostly for Natasha. And of course, more grist for the mill here. ;)

[-N-]

The fact that it's a movie set in old China but filmed in English(!) is a big factor. Who cares if the Mandarin accents were "wrong" in the original? It's still more accurate than having them speaking English.

Not just the accuracy, but without the Chinese language idioms, the movie looked and sounded like a medieval sword movie with people that randomly happened to look Asian pretending to be Caucasian.

Way too much dialogue and exposition too. It's an art to tell a story with few words.

[-N-]

All that being said, it's still worth a view on Netflix if you have it, mostly for Natasha.

She's a cutie for sure... European nose and all :D

[Siu Lum Fighter]

Natasha was very cute for sure. The action scenes were actually pretty epic and the story, despite it feeling like a slight knock-off of the original (but that's OK), was pretty good. As a guy who likes authenticity and isn't as concerned with Chinese accents (because I would barely be able to differentiate one anyway), I was disappointed it wasn't in Mandarin. The English came across a little too much like a Robin Hood movie or a walk down medieval/fantasy movie lane. That's really my main gripe with the film. Otherwise, I was pleasantly surprised.

[GeneChing]

Netflix's 'Crouching Tiger,' Hidden Movie Grosses (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflixs-crouching-tiger-hidden-movie-871979)
5:00 AM PST 3/3/2016 by Pamela McClintock

http://cdn3.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2016/03/ct_01555_r2_1_-_h_2016.jpg
Courtesy of Netflix

Though film distributors started to see numbers for 'Sword of Destiny' on comScore, they quickly disappeared, sparking rumors that numbers for the film — released on the streaming service and in theaters at the same time — weren't good.

By early afternoon on Feb. 26, film distributors started to see grosses for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny pop up on reporting service comScore. Then they disappeared.

Netflix and Imax decided not to disclose opening-weekend grosses, sparking buzz the numbers weren't good. The film's release was controversial from the get-go. Cinema owners who operate Imax screens were furious in fall 2014 when Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos and Imax announced a deal to make the long-awaited follow-up to Ang Lee's Oscar-winning film, released in 2000, available on the streaming service and Imax theaters at the same time. Imax, the film's U.S. distributor, backed off, and the film later was pushed from August to now.

Yuen Woo-ping's Sword of Destiny, whose lead producer is The Weinstein Co., ultimately opened in only 10 to 12 Imax sites. Netflix, notoriously secretive about viewership numbers on its streaming service, did not comment when queried about the reason for not reporting grosses. Ditto for Imax. "Who does that? This is a theatrical run like any other," says a studio executive. While it's true the company's business model doesn't rely on theatrical returns, no one wants to be tied to a perceived box-office failure. In the fall, Beasts of No Nation — the first original movie from Netflix — only made $90,777 in a smattering of theaters willing to play it. (The poor showing might have hurt the film's Oscar campaign).

The good news: Sword of Destiny has grossed nearly $36 million at the overseas box office, the majority from China.

See now? It wasn't just me who noticed.

It didn't even chart on Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=crouchingtiger2.htm) for Domestic, only for China and Hong Kong.

And there's more...


A big theater chain has reversed its ban on Netflix movies — as a 'favor' (http://www.businessinsider.com/a-big-theater-chain-has-reversed-its-ban-on-netflix-movies-as-a-favor-2016-3)
Nathan McAlone
Mar. 1, 2016, 9:44 AM 1,570 1

http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/56d5a6992e5265b9008ba82a-960-720/crouching-tiger.jpg
Netflix

Theater chain AMC has reversed its ban on showing Netflix’s “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” sequel, according to CEO Adam Aron.

While AMC had previously said it would boycott the release, Aron indicated a slight change of heart on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Monday.

“We actually did wind up, as a favor to IMAX, showing Crouching Tiger,” Aron said.

But it wasn’t a complete victory for Netflix. AMC only showed the film at 4 to 6 of its 153 IMAX screens, according to The Wrap, and none of its regular screens.

AMC is one of a host of theater chains that has refused to show Netflix's original films. The major sticking point is Netflix’s commitment to “day-and-date releases,” which means Netflix releases are available to stream on Netflix the same day as they arrive in theaters.

When Netflix originally announced its plans for “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” back in late 2014, the response from theaters, including market leader Regal, was uniformly negative.

"Regal we will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3" wide on a smartphone. We believe the choice for truly enjoying a magnificent movie is clear," Regal spokesman Russ Nunley said in a statement.

“It's going to be very, very difficult for Netflix to get the major theater chains to carry its movies,” FBR Capital Markets analyst Barton Crockett told The Los Angeles Times.

Remember AMC = Wanda (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69324-Wanda-amp-AMC).

[GeneChing]

It's really a shame that this went so sour. The film isn't horrible, but it's marred by its predecessor and this strange marketing ploy.



The box office for the 'Crouching Tiger' sequel is so awful Netflix won't reveal it (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/box-office-crouching-tiger-sequel-180056653.html)
Business Insider By Jason Guerrasio
March 3, 2016 1:00 PM

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5xLA6O91AI8t1QwqYIZS0A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1/http://globalfinance.zenfs.com/en_us/Finance/US_AFTP_SILICONALLEY_H_LIVE/The_box_office_for_the-87cc1ccf228b296d08ff86d59ef41a59
(Netflix)
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny."

You probably didn’t realize it, but you could have seen the sequel to the groundbreaking, Oscar-winning 2000 martial-arts movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in theaters last weekend. The thing is, you just had to have lived near a select IMAX screen in the suburbs of New Jersey or California that showed it.
Netflix has vowed that it will release movies it's making in theaters and on its streaming service, simultaneously. But the company never said it would operate like the traditional distributors and report the box office of those movies.

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” is Netflix's latest release rolled out via theaters and streaming on the same day, and as with “Beasts of No Nation” before, most of the major movie chains (AMC, Regal) refused to show the film, since it didn’t adhere to the typical 90-day delay between theatrical and home video/streaming (many independent film houses released “Beasts”).

But unlike “Beasts,” “Sword of Destiny” has had no reporting of its box-office results, leaving many in Hollywood shaking their heads.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, distributors started seeing the grosses for the movie show up on reporting service comScore the afternoon of Friday, February 26th, but they quickly disappeared.

“When you release a film in theaters, whether the results are good or bad, it's customary to report grosses,” Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst at Exhibitor Relations, told Business Insider. “With a sequel of this magnitude, it's a shock that Netflix did not issue numbers, which can only mean they were pedestrian at best, terrible at worst.”

Perhaps the poor business “Beasts” did in theaters on its opening weekend, grossing just $50,699 in 31 theaters in 30 US cities (a theater average of $1,635) caused Netflix to keep “Sword of Destiny” numbers to themselves. But there’s no way to confirm. Netflix said it has no comment for this story.

http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/55k41e0FbDpcBv89xMi79A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1/http://globalfinance.zenfs.com/en_us/Finance/US_AFTP_SILICONALLEY_H_LIVE/The_box_office_for_the-6a426d34cb36b61d245395536964db16
(Netflix)
"Beasts of No Nation."

Regardless, major studios and independents release their weekend grosses every week, regardless of how they might look, and many in Hollywood believe Netflix should be held to the same standard.
“If you want to be in the distribution game, it's helpful to exhibitors [theaters] to be transparent,” Bock said. “Netflix was with ‘Beasts of No Nation,’ and the results were poor. The fact that they are basically hiding debut numbers makes everyone uncomfortable in the distribution world. It's no wonder they had a difficult time booking the film.”

A big reason why “Sword of Destiny” even played in theaters is because AMC reversed its ban at the 11th hour and allowed four to six of its 153 IMAX screens to show the film over the February 27-28 weekend.

An IMAX rep told the New York Post that, in total, “Sword of Destiny” was shown on 10-12 IMAX screens.

The kicker to all of this is there seems to be no trouble finding out how "Sword of Destiny" did overseas. According to THR, the movie grossed nearly $36 million abroad, mainly in China.

[PalmStriker]

:) I watched the movie on Netflix the first night it streamed, re-watching it tonight with a new pair of cinematic sound headphones for the full studio sound effect, my old set was on it's way out first time around, can appreciate much more visually, pace, character introductions, etc. second time around. Returning to movie.

[GeneChing]

...for CTHD2? Well, I guess the UN Sec-Gen is cool. But man, the Met Gala? That looks like a crazy party.


Michelle Yeoh skips Met Gala for ‘top-secret’ film event (http://pagesix.com/2016/05/02/michelle-yeoh-skips-met-gala-for-top-secret-film-event/)
By Ian Mohr May 2, 2016 | 9:26pm

https://nyppagesix.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/filmmagic-511777984.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1286
Michelle Yeoh Photo: FilmMagic

Michelle Yeoh attended the Met Gala a year ago, but on Monday she was instead throwing her own event downtown.

The martial-arts star was scheduled to co-host a “top-secret” screening of her sequel “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny” with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for diplomats, sources said.

In March, Yeoh — who also starred in the 1997 James Bond adventure “Tomorrow Never Dies” with Pierce Brosnan — was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Development Programme.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdhvxJZDqzU

[GeneChing]

Michelle Yeoh flies from 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2' to 'Marco Polo' (http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/30/michelle-yeoh-flies-from-crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon-2-to-marco-polo)
BY JIM SLOTEK, POSTMEDIA NETWORK
FIRST POSTED: THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016 11:02 AM EDT | UPDATED: THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2016 11:15 AM EDT

http://storage.torontosun.com/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297852197415_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=420x
Malaysia actress Michelle Yeoh poses on the red carpet for the fundraising gala organized by amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) in Hong Kong, Saturday, March 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Michelle Yeoh is calling from Paris about her introduction to the Netflix series Marco Polo, as a mysterious, vengeful martial arts master known simply as The Hand Maiden.

Why Paris? Appropriately enough – given the connection between the two acting jobs – it’s to take a bow for the sequel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny at the Chinese Film Festival in France.

“It’s a great excuse to be in Paris,” she says. “The weather is good, but the city is on strike. Just for today, thank God.”

The connection? John Fusco, the creator of Marco Polo is also the writer of Sword of Destiny. And he had the entire shoot of the feature film to sell her on joining his TV series.

Fusco was so confident he could land her that he ended Season 1 with a scene involving her character, played by a double. “He was hoping I would play this part but it was not a definite yes.

“When he ended Season 1, where the little emperor was handed over to the Hand Maiden, you never saw her face. So that was a very good set-up.”

I suggest to Yeoh that Marco Polo should be called Kublai Khan, since it’s all about the intrigue in the Mongol court and the unification of China taking place in front of Polo (Lorenzo Richelmy). They named the show after the only non-Asian in it, even though very little of it is about him.

Yeoh laughs at the observation. “It’s true, Marco Polo is just a fly on the wall who’s reporting all these amazing things he’s seeing. But reporting is an important job, as you know,” she says, playfully to her interviewer.

“But of course, it can only be about Kublai Khan. Ben (Benedict Wong who plays Kublai) is such an amazing force.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvK0iUS5bR4

“Marco Polo deserves credit, because if he hadn’t brought all these tales to the West, the West wouldn’t have understood this incredible dynamic leader who managed to break through the Great Wall of China and start a new dynasty.”

The Hand Maiden, however, is on the other side of the fence. After failing in her task to protect the little emperor, she sets out to either retrieve him or exact vengeance on the Mongols. En route, she fights with Polo and discovers he has kung fu skills that could only have been taught to him by her ex-lover, the blind master Hundred Eyes (Tom Wu).

(We never said this was a documentary, folks).

“She has one mission, and then she has another,” Yeoh says of the Hand Maiden. “She suddenly discovered that there was someone else in the Mongolian court, which was Hundred Eyes, the love of her life. Why would he still remain working for Kublai? He shouldn’t be there, he should be helping us and the rebellion.”

It’s a set-up that Fusco apparently has been working towards since the first season. “The greatest fight scene of the series. In his mind, it was me and Hundred Eyes. The action sequences we have together are not just about fighting. It’s very, very deeply emotionally bonded. It’s not about wanting to take the life of the other person, but to subdue the other person and bring them back to the truth, which is more powerful.”

So Yeoh went from one martial arts role to another. In Sword of Destiny, she was working with legendary director and fight choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping, with whom she has worked since the early ‘90s in Hong Kong action films.

“Working with Master Yuen is something I’ve been doing on and off for 20 or 30 years, so we have a rhythm,” the ballet-trained Yeoh says. “But every time you have to adjust to a new dance partner who’ll bring you a spring in your step and joy.

“When you’re working with somebody new like Brett (Marco Polo stunt coordinator Brett Chan) and his team, you discover a whole new sensuality, which is a lot of fun.

“And Tom, who plays Hundred Eyes, is just brilliant to spar with and fight with.”

Yeoh, a sometime Bond girl and one of People’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World, admits her action career has not been a typical actress’s journey.

“When I first started out, I don’t think anybody (in Hollywood), thought a woman should be doing things I was doing,” she says. “But the history of Chinese filmmaking, they’ve always had the woman warrior.

“But I think in Hollywood you have stronger women roles now, and they’re getting more physical – like Charlize Theron in Mad Max.”

Season 2 of Marco Polo hits Netflix on July 1.

Twitter: @jimslotek
JSlotek@postmedia.com

I can hardly wait to binge MP Season 2. :cool:

[GeneChing]

DECEMBER 15, 2017 8:33AM PT
‘Crouching Tiger’ Actress Accuses Harvey Weinstein Asia Associate of Sexual Misconduct (http://variety.com/2017/film/news/crouching-tiger-juju-chan-harvey-weinstein-asia-bey-logan-sexual-misconduct-1202642166/)
By Vivienne Chow

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/juju-chan.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1
CREDIT: CHA/INVISION/AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Actress JuJu Chan has accused Harvey Weinstein’s Asia associate Bey Logan of making an unwanted sexual advance and later pressuring her romantically during production of The Weinstein Co.’s 2016 film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny.”

Chan told Variety that Logan, a friend of Weinstein’s and a consulting producer with TWC, “forcefully kissed” her one evening after a party and later complained during shooting of “Sword of Destiny” that she refused to be his girlfriend.

Logan vehemently denies the allegations by Chan, who is the latest woman to accuse him of sexual misconduct. Earlier this week, the Hong Kong online news site HK01 published allegations by seven actresses that Logan had sexually harassed them. Only one of the accusers, actress Sable Yu, has been willing to give her name to HK01.

In response to HK01’s report, Logan denied any criminal misconduct but apologized for having had a “too carefree attitude towards physical encounters with women” in the past.

Chan, who stars in upcoming action film “The Invincible Dragon,” said Logan’s unwanted advance toward her occurred in 2009, soon after she had returned to Hong Kong from studying in New York and was attempting to break into the movie industry.

She said she was introduced to Logan at an event, and he was looking for an actress for the reshoot of his film “Blood Bond.” She said Logan invited her to an audition, which was conducted in a normal and professional manner.

Chan did not sign up for the film, but ran into Logan later on at a party. She was on her way out when Logan asked to share a taxi. During the cab ride, “he forcefully kissed me on my lips,” Chan said.

“I was so young and was in shock. I just graduated. I did not know how to react,” Chan said. “I pushed him away. He said goodbye and left.”

Chan said she tried to avoid Logan afterward despite his status as a producer with Hollywood connections. But several years later, she was cast as one of the main characters in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,” which Logan produced.

Chan said Logan, who has appeared on camera as well as worked behind it, blamed her for not casting him in a previous project she was involved in, even though she did not have casting authority.

“When it was clear that the [“Sword of Destiny” producers] wanted to include me in their film, he called me offering me a really low pay to do a side role, while also insulting my abilities. I rejected his offer,” Chan said. “In the end, the casting director for the film contacted me directly with an offer that I accepted. Bey was obviously upset to see me on the set.”

More than that, Logan appeared upset about her refusal of his romantic overtures, Chan said.

“He didn’t want me to be in the cast. I never gave him a chance to be close to me. I’m not ‘his girl.’ He tried to kick me out of the movie,” Chan said, adding: “He said to me: ‘Almost all girls I work with are my girlfriends. Why can’t you be my girlfriend? You are the only girl who refused.’”

Towards the end of the shoot, Chan said, Logan asked her to be in his next movie, “Lady Blood Fight.” Chan told him to speak to her manager.

Logan denies Chan’s allegations. “I was a co-producer on ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: Sword of Destiny,’” he wrote in an e-mail to Variety. “I did not have authority to and did not make the casting decisions. I did not determine the artists’ pay or engagement terms. Such matters were handled by the relevant line producers. I did not have authority to and did not make any attempts to ‘kick’ anyone out of the movie. I have never made any propositions to her.”

Chan also said that Weinstein himself approached her during the after-party of “Sword of Destiny’s” Beijing premiere in February 2016.

The Hollywood mogul “came over to me and asked me if I could meet him in his [hotel] room to spend some ‘private time’ together. I said no, why did we have to meet privately? My manager was there, too, and she could come up,” Chan said. “He was unhappy and I walked away.”

Chan said it was difficult for Asian actors and actresses to come forward with accounts of sexual assault and harassment. “They are afraid of being blacklisted. It is so difficult to get a role and when people are desperate, they don’t think. They just let things happen,” Chan said.

“I’ve also seen people not getting any roles after they gave in. There’s no guarantee,” she said. “People who use their power to have sex – [it] is not right.”

I've interacted with JuJu fleetingly. Last time she came through SF, we had hoped to meet for an interview or something, but it didn't work out in either of our schedules so we said we'd do it next time. She was professional and courtesy, and our dialog was short.

Thread: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65170-Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-2-Sword-of-Destiny)
Thread: An Open Secret: Hollywood - Please Watch (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70520-An-Open-Secret-Hollywood-Please-Watch)

[GeneChing]

Read my latest feature for Den of Geek: The Old Guard: How the Immortal Quynh Was Brought to Life (https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-old-guard-how-the-immortal-quynh-was-brought-to-life/).

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