Enter the Warriors Gate

[GeneChing]

Potential collab w/Besson & China


Luc Besson Looks to Co-Produce 'Warrior’s Gate' With China (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/luc-besson-looks-produce-warrior-687098)
4:22 AM PDT 3/10/2014 by Clifford Coonan

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2011/09/besson_a.jpg
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images


Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp has applied for co-production status for Warrior’s Gate, on which it is collaborating with Mark Gao Jingdong’s Shanghai-based production and sales outfit Fundamental Films.

The application appeared on the State Administration of Radio Film and TV (SARFT) website in a list of projects that filed during February for co-production status. The news was announced on the site this week.

Little is known so far about the Warrior's Gate project. EuropaCorp couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Overseas filmmakers want China co-production status because films granted the status are treated as domestic films and do not fall under China’s import quota, and usually involve local investment in exchange for local distribution rights.

They stand a much stronger chance of getting a mainland Chinese release, have immunity from blackout periods and a greater revenue share.

Some movies, such as last year’s biggest-selling overseas title, Iron Man 3, lobbied hard for co-production status but did not get it, and the issue often has proven divisive as both Hollywood and China try to cooperate more.

Fundamental Films and EuropaCorp have a multiyear output deal that stipulates Fundamental will release at least 15 EuropaCorp films in China and that Fundamental will co-produce at least three of those.

At the Berlin Film Festival last month, EuropaCorp said it was going ahead with a reboot of its hit Transporter franchise, greenlighting the first -- Transporter 4 -- and laying plans for two follow-ups, all co-produced with Fundamental Films.

Fundamental’s slate also includes the animation The Prince and the 108 Demons, Replicas with Company Films and Black Frog with Same Player.

[GeneChing]

Mark Chao was Detective Dee in Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66536-Young-Detective-Dee-Rise-of-the-Sea). Ni Ni was in Flowers of War, which I think I reviewed here somewhere...maybe not...it was significant but not martial. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uriah_Shelton) tells me Uriah Shelton was the "2006 ATA Tae Kwon Do California State Champion in all categories, including sparring and extreme weapons"


Luc Besson readies Warrior's China shoot (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/luc-besson-readies-warriors-china-shoot)
http://www.filmbiz.asia/media/BAhbB1sHOgZmSSI5MjAxNS8wNC8xOS8xNy81OS8xMy84NDkvd2 FycmlvcnNfZ2F0ZV9yZWRfY2FycGV0LmpwZwY6BkVUWwg6BnA6 CnRodW1iSSINNTAweDEwMDAGOwZU?suffix=.jpg&sha=a2119e32
By Kevin Ma

Mon, 20 April 2015, 09:00 AM (HKT)
Production News

At a press conference held during the Beijing International Film Festival 北京國際電影節, Luc BESSON announced that his French-China co-production Warrior's Gate 勇士之門 is set to begin shooting in May.

Co-produced by Besson's EuropaCorp and China's Fundamental Films Co Ltd 上海基美影畫文化傳播有限公司, the RMB300 million (US$48.4 million) project is set to star Mark CHAO 趙又廷, NI Ni 倪妮 and Uriah Shelton. Besson will serve as producer and co-writer, while Matthias HOENE will direct.

The project is one of three planned co-productions between EuropaCorp and Fundamental. The latter also distributes EuropaCorp's films in China.

The three actors and their director walked the red carpet at the opening ceremony of the Beijing festival on Thursday night (pictured). Besson is also the president of the festival's competition jury.

According to a synopsis posted on the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) 國家新聞出版廣電總局 website last year, the film is about a young gamer who travels to ancient China via a magical chest.

The film will shoot for three months in China starting next month. It will also be shooting in other locations overseas.

[GeneChing]

This is a good trend, methinks. Seeing more Chinese martial arts films at Cannes (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?53853-Cannes) will prove better for our industry than seizing a belt in the Octagon (although that would be super cool too.


Cannes: Dave Bautista Stars in Martial Arts Epic ‘Warrior’s Gate’ (EXCLUSIVE) (http://variety.com/2015/film/global/dave-bautista-stars-in-warriors-gate-exclusive-1201493451/)

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/dave-bautista.jpg?w=670&h=377&crop=1

MAY 13, 2015 | 01:00AM PT
Patrick Frater
Asia Bureau Chief

Former mixed martial arts star Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) and Sienna Guillory head the cast of “Warrior’s Gate,” an epic saga represented by Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp and financed by China’s Fundamental Films.

The picture, which is now shooting, is directed by Matthias Hoene. Written by Besson and Robert Kamen (“Taken”), the story follows a teenager who is magically transported to China and learns to convert his videogame skills into those of a Kung Fu warrior.

Production in China began May 4 and will later move to Canada. Previously confirmed cast includes Uriah Shelton (“The Glades”), Taiwan’s Mark Chao (“Monga”) and Chinese actress Ni Ni (“The Flowers of War”).

“Warrior’s Gate” is structured as a Chinese-French co-venture with Fundamental Films’ Mark Gao and EuropaCorp’s Luc Besson as producers, with Fundamental financing, and Fundamental’s Gregory Ouanhon and J.C. Cheng executive producing.

“Dave Bautista is the perfect blockbuster villain – his star quality and international standing will entertain cinemagoers worldwide. Though his opponents in the film will perhaps be less pleased,” said Fundamental chairman Gao. Bautista, who next appears in James Bond picture “Spectre,” is represented by the Gersh Agency and DMBV. Guillory is represented by Independent Talent Group.

Fundamental Films has previously launched EuropaCorp titles such as “Brick Mansions,” “Lucy” and “Taken 3” with success in China. “Warrior’s Gate” is set to be the first of several co-production ventures between the two companies.

The company, which has offices in Beijing and Los Angeles, and was founded by Gao in 2008, is involved in co-production, financing and distribution. It has strategic production and development deals with EuropaCorp, Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road, Keanu Reeves’ Company Films and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via.

[GeneChing]

...this looks like Forbidden Kingdom (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=758). :rolleyes:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sixy7t9Yr8o

Another white lead. More whitewashing (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?66153-yellow-face-white-washing) I wonder?

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTixFRwNKq4

Now it's Enter the Warriors Gate. I'll change the title. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

The Most Offensive ‘White Savior’ Film of 2017 Lost $45 Million (http://nextshark.com/the-warriors-gate-white-savior-film-flop/)
By Max Chang Posted on May 31, 2017

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-31-at-4-1-e1496275693287.jpg

Everyone, this is the movie “The Warriors Gate”.


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

It’s a Chinese-French action-adventure-fantasy movie directed by Matthias Hone. It was released in China last year and then worldwide earlier this month.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-31-at-4.12.10-PM.png

If you’ve never heard of it, you’re extremely lucky, because it’s up there with one of the most offensive ad terrible films this year targeting the Asian market.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/MV5BM2UwMTNkMDUtNDcyMC00NGYxLTkyZWUtZjY0MGRmNjAxMj llXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDYzNTQ2NzY@._V1_SY1000_CR007371 000_AL_.jpg

This film contains:

A White kid with an addiction to Chinese-themed games and merchandise? Check.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/the-warriors-gate-2.jpg

An incredibly unoriginal plot that is a total copycat of “The Forbidden Kingdom”? Check.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/the-warriors-gate-1.jpg

An Asian woman that needs saving? Check.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/the-warriors-gate.jpg

A White kid that saves the Asian damsel in distress because Asian women are weak and submissive? Check.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/THE-WARRIORS-GATE-Uriah-Shelton-and-Ni-Ni-1024x682.jpg
http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-31-at-4.jpg
continued next post

[GeneChing]

So, now that we have basically a fool-proof story that will yield tons of money, lets go ahead and fund it with $48 million!

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-31-at-4.18.53-PM.jpg

How much has it made so far, you ask? A whopping $3.3 million, which is at least a return of negative $44.7 million. By the way, “Warriors Gate” was just the first in a three-film deal between EuropaCorp and the Shanghai-based Fundamental Films.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-31-at-4.12.40-PM.jpg

It’s also been an “incredible hit” on Rotten Tomatoes.

http://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Screen-Shot-2017-05-31-at-4.17.08-PM.jpg

Good job guys… great film. Looking forward to seeing what else you decide to cook up on your next gig. Perhaps give Matt Damon a cameo in the sequel?

I was going to see this just for Kara Hui, but now, maybe not.

[GeneChing]

I couldn't resist Kara. She's one of my first Kung Fu heroine crushes. It was a regrettable choice. Kara has a small irrelevant cameo as a mountain spirit that's like a cross between Monty Python and The Holy Grail's bridge keeper and Tim the Wizard. It's a completely throwaway scene, does nothing to advance the plot, and I should've checked out of this film right then.

A boy gets picked on by bullies. His kindly Chinese curios shop boss gives him an artifact which transports him to a fantasy China period, where he is a chosen one. He learns some Kung Fu and saves the day - a kid white savior. He returns and beats up his bullies. Sound like Forbidden kingdom? That's only one of the many poaches here. It's related to a videogame 'alternate world', which is the plot another film, NOT Tron, but I can't remember it now.

It's a French Chinese co-prod so Besson has a finger in it. Dave Bautista is the villain and is quite good considering. He really nails what he does and is the only redeeming factor here. Ni Ni is the empress love interest and she's cute for a Kung Fu damsel in distress (the kiss is a major miss though). Choreography is weak. Plot is silly, derivative and predictable. Total waste of time. Even for Kara.