The Shaolin Temple REMAKE

[GeneChing]

It was rumored that the 2011 film Shaolin was going to be a remake at first. Of course, it wasn't. There's been rumors of a 3D remake, something I touched on briefly in our Shaolin Temple Cultural Festival report in our JAN+FEB 2014 issue (we even got a pic of the Abbot looking at video wearing 3D glasses on page 18).

The original Shaolin Temple was a game changer. I'm very skeptical of a remake, but with Justin Lin at the wheel, well, that's a game changer too.

Justin Lin to direct Shaolin Temple remake
By Kevin Ma
Wed, 15 January 2014, 15:00 PM (HKT)


Justin LIN 林詣彬 has signed on to direct Beijing Enlight Pictures Co Ltd 北京光線影業有限公司's 3-D remake of The Shaolin Temple 少林寺 (1982), the film that launched the career of Jet LI 李連杰.

The news was first reported online by China's Sina this morning. It has since been confirmed on the Weibo microblog accounts of Beijing Enlight Media Co Ltd 北京光線傳媒股份有限公司 and its CEO WANG Changtian 王長田.

Wang unveiled the project in Aug 2012, announcing a production partnership with the Shaolin Temple. The script has since been approved by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) 國家新聞出版廣電總局.

In October, Wang wrote on Weibo that an unnamed director has been chosen for the project and that pre-production is expected to take two years.

Lin is currently attached to direct the next film in the Bourne franchise, currently set for release in Aug 2015. He is also serving as the executive producer on Fast & Furious 7. The Shaolin Temple remake will be his first Chinese-language film.

[LFJ]

Ah, interesting... Its success, in my opinion, will come down to who plays the main role, and fight choreography.

[GeneChing]

Justin Lin To Direct Chinese-Language 3D Remake Of ‘The Shaolin Temple’
By NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor | Friday, 17 January 2014 16:50



Justin Lin is making his first filmic foray into China, and into 3D. The director plans to helm a remake of 1982’s The Shaolin Temple which starred Jet Li in his debut role. Hot off a press conference in Beijing to announce the project, Lin’s partner at Perfect Storm Entertainment, CEO Troy Craig Poon, tells me the plan is to hire “an A+ list Hollywood writer to tackle the story” although there is no start date for now. “We will commence only when we feel this is ready,” says Poon. The 1982 Shaolin Temple was a Hong Kong martial arts movie directed by Chang Hsin Yen. The original story was based on Shaolin folklore and set during the transition period between the Sui Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. When the Tang emperor is betrayed by one of his generals, the son of one of his slave workers escapes to the temple, trains in kung fu, and sets out to kill the traitor. The remake project is a collaboration of Beijing Enlight Pictures, Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars and Perfect Storm. Poon, Wu and Enlight’s Wang Changtian will produce. justin linPoon says the budget will be north of $100M and that the idea is for it to be a “blockbuster unlike ever seen for (the Chinese) market.” He believes the timing of the film could coincide with China becoming the world’s No. 1 movie market.

“The aim is to make an unprecedented Chinese-based tentpole with story, style and scope that will resonate with global audiences as well,” Poon says. The film is planned as a Mandarin-language effort, although an alternative-language version may be explored as well. Lin begins filming the next installment of the Bourne franchise later this year for Universal which recently set an August 14, 2015 release date.

I agree with you, LFJ. The original was such an inspiration to a generation. I can't count how many masters have walked through our doors and said the original film is what got them serious about martial arts. Those are big sandals to fill.

[mickey]

Greetings,

I wish that they they would release the original with the fight scenes that were excised from the film. I have mentioned the scene with Yu Hai and Yu Cheng Hui. I did not mention that when they went hand to hand Yu Hai's outfit had the hole from the arrow piercing his character would later receive. And there was no transition from weapons to hand to hand.


mickey

[bawang]

shaolin temple was famous because its theme was innocence. I cried when i saw it first time. nothing can get back that feeling now.

[Jimbo]

It says they plan to hire "an A+ list Hollywood writer". Uh-oh. That usually means they're going to write a white character into the lead role. Which, for a remake of 'Shaolin Temple', is completely inappropriate. I guess the only thing is to hope that, if they must remake the movie, they do it RIGHT.

[Songshan]

In the day and age of remakes and prequels I am not surprised to see this. I wouldn't mind seeing another movie about Shaolin but I have mixed feelings of seeing a remake of the original Shaolin Temple. I say give Gordon Liu, Jet Li and Jacki Chan cameos and center the story on one of many legends that emerged from shaolin's history. It was nice seeing Jackie Chan and Jet Li together in Forbidden Kingdom.

[GeneChing]

Hollywood & Chollywood will tout this as a remake, but we must keep in mind that the original film was based on a time-honored legend. So it's not quite like the Karate Kid remake. Nor is it even like the OldBoy remake (which came from manga). It more akin to Monkey King or Saving General Yang. Bringing Justin Lin on board is clearly a grab at the international spotlight that Chollywood really craves.

This will be an interesting project to follow.

[GeneChing]

Andrew Dominik To Script ‘Shaolin Temple’ For Helmer Justin Lin
by Mike Fleming Jr
August 22, 2014 12:36pm


Andrew Dominik

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a China-set project worth getting excited about. Andrew Dominik, the writer-director of Chopper and Killing Them Softly, has been set to write the script for Shaolin Temple for Fast And Furious‘ Justin Lin to direct.


The film is backed by Perfect Storm Entertainment and Beijing Enlight Pictures with Beijing Enlight also distributing. Troy Craig Poon of Perfect Storm Entertainment, Bruno Wu of Seven Stars and Wang Changtian of Beijing Enlight are producing.


The 3D film is a remake of the 1982 film which marked CinemaCon 2013 Awards Ceremony - Arrivalsthe screen debut of iconic martial artist Jet Li, and was based on Shaolin folklore and set during the transition period between the Sui Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. When the Tang emperor is betrayed by one of his generals, the son of one of his slave workers escapes to the temple, trains in kung fu, and sets out to kill the traitor. This is a big-canvas pic and when it was announced back in January, the projected budget was earmarked at north of $100 million.

Lin will tackle this after he finishes the next installment of the Bourne Identity franchise for Universal.

I haven't seen either Chopper or Killing Them Softly. Any thoughts on either film?