Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny

[GeneChing]

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

'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2' unveils mystery
By Zhang Rui


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.


A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]


A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]


A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]


A still of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Legend" is released to the public. [Photo/Xinhua]

[GeneChing]

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

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.

[GeneChing]

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



CCR? srsly?

[GeneChing]

sans ccr.

[GeneChing]

Just like KFP3, 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
Robert Cookson, Digital Media Correspondent


'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 in 3D and paid $17+ for it. And it was totally worth it.

I saw Deadpool 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"
10:57 AM PDT 9/30/2014 by Pamela McClintock


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]

[GeneChing]

On Screen China: ‘Crouching Tiger’ Sequel


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 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
by Harvey Weinstein
February 19, 2016 3:33pm


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.



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.



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.



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... 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.
2:23 PM PST 2/22/2016 by Pamela McClintock


'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)



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.

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[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, the Mortal-Kombat web series, and there was that Already-Gone teaser.

[GeneChing]

Rico Torres/Netflix

JEN YAMATO
BADASS02.24.16 1:42 AM ET
Michelle Yeoh on ‘Crouching Tiger 2,’ Girl Power, and Anti-China Trump

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.”


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…”

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[GeneChing]

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...