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Legendary Ninja Kosugi returns in ‘Ninja Assassin’
According to Dark Horizons, filming on NINJA ASSASSIN, produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski Brothers, who made the recent SPEED RACER, has begun shooting in Berlin, Germany. However, according to the report, a 1980’s action icon returns in his first role in over fifteen years.
Sho Kosugi, who perhaps was responsible for pioneering the Ninja craze in American action films in the early 80’s, returns to the screens and is said to be playing the role of the leader of the Ozunu Clan, the ninja gang who go after the film’s protagonist, a former Ozunu Clan member named Raizo, played by Korean pop icon Rain.
Kosugi retired from films in the mid-90’s to form the Sho Kosugi Institute, where he teaches acting and martial arts alongside younger son Shane. Shane returned to Hollywood with a brief role in Tom Cruise’s film THE LAST SAMURAI (2003) with member of Sho’s Ninja Taiko group.
From the looks of it, fans may expect a Rain-Kosugi fight in NINJA ASSASSIN. The film co-stars Rick Yune, Naomie Harris, and Ben Miles. James McTeigue (V FOR VENDETTA) directs with action choreography by David Leitch and Chad Stahelski.
During an interview, Raymond Wong was asked about the progress of Ip Man 2. He says that director Wilson Yip and his son Edmond Wong, script writer for the film, have been to Foshan to collate information, and Bruce Lee might not be appearing in the immediate sequel (or at least not until the third movie), "Right now, the script hasn't reached Bruce Lee's part, and the sequel's budgeted at around 100m yuan. We're considering building sets."
As to Fan Siu Wong and Lam Ka Tung's characters, "In the original film, they're supposed to be dead, but owing to Mainland censorship, the scenes depicting their deaths were cut, so, they'd still have a chance to appear in the sequel."
On being asked about The Great Master, Wong Kar Wai's version, starring Tony Leung, Gong Li, Chang Chen, with Yuen Wo Ping, who just completed filming True Legend in January, being approached to be the choreographer, that begins production in a few months, Raymond Wong says Wong Kar Wai's style is different, and it's wonderful for him to shoot it.
On Donnie Yen, Lam Ka Tung and Fan Siu Wong receiving Hong Kong Film Awards nominations for their roles in Ip Man, Raymond Wong thinks Donnie Yen and Lam Ka Tung stand good chances.
New details have emerged about the highly anticipated follow-up to Wilson Yip's hit Wing Chun movie IP MAN. Donnie Yen will be returning in the title role as expected and he will be fighting action director Sammo Hung but as negotiations with Bruce Lee's family are still underway, a young Bruce will not be depicted in this film, although he is expected to appear in a third and final film as Ip's student.
As a result of these negotiations the original plan to shoot both sequels side-by-side has been scrapped. Production on IP MAN 2 will commence in August and IP MAN 3 will be shot separately at a later date.
The big news is that Sammo will be stepping out from behind the camera this time to spar with Donnie on screen, the first time since their epic fight in KILL ZONE (aka SPL) in 2005. The set up is that Ip Man (Yen) is attempting to establish himself as a kung fu instructor in Hong Kong in 1949 but Wing Chun is viewed there as being only for girls or presumably girly men. Enter Sammo Hung as a master of Hung Gar, which is seen as a more manly fighting style. The two develop a rivalry that results in sparring. Obviously, Ip will be out to prove that Wing Chun is just as manly, something he already established for audiences in the first film.
Returning in the sequel will be Fan Siu-wong as a former gang leader and Ip Man's adversary who settles down and becomes Ip's friend. Gordon Lam is also returning. He will continue to play a police officer but this time having found work in Hong Kong.
IP MAN 2 is only one of several projects for Donnie Yen who is now finding himself in the enviable position of being viewed as one of China's hottest actors and not just action stars. With his films PAINTED SKIN and IP MAN both performing strong at the box office and the latter resulting in a Best Actor nomination at the Hong Kong Film awards, Yen's stock has risen considerably this year. His 10 million yuan salary for IP MAN went up 50 percent for the sequel and he's now being offered roles outside of the action genre.
"I was even approached to be in a romance this year," said Yen. "However, I had to decline due to schedule conflicts. This year, I wish to challenge different roles, to go beyond the limits of my histrionics, so the characters I accept have to give the audience a different feel."
Yen is shooting four movies this year; Teddy Chan's DARK OCTOBER, Daniel Lee's IMPERIAL GUARD, IP MAN 2, and one of two unnamed films that the actor hasn't decided on yet. Despite this busy schedule, Yen asserts that his focus remains on IP MAN 2.
Director Gordon Chan is planning a new kung fu movie about Chen Zhen, the character famously portrayed by Bruce Lee in FIST OF FURY and later by Jet Li in FIST OF LEGEND, and he wants Donnie Yen in the lead. So far, Yen has informally agreed to take on the role, which would actually be the second time around after starring in the hit ATV series FIST OF FURY (1995).
Chen Zhen and his fight against Japanese oppression in Republican-era China was actually a fictional creation of writer-director Lo Wei who based the character on an obscure real-life student of martial arts master Huo Yuan-jia, the same master portrayed by Jet Li in FEARLESS
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It was only a matter of time before this franchise got a live-action reboot. The Mirage Group has greenlit development for another live-action feature film featuring the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES with a target release date set for 2011.
Mirage has partnered with producers Scott Mednick (300) and Galen Walker (TMNT) while creator Peter Laird will serve as an executive producer. Funding is being provided by Lightbox Porductions
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IGN has scored one of the first images from the much anticipated re-teaming of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in the sci-fi actioner UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: A NEW BEGINNING (alternately titled THE NEXT GENERATION), the second sequel to their 1992 film. For a larger version of the image visit IGN.
MMAFighting.com also has a picture of cast member Andrei Arlovski, an MMA fighter and UFC heavyweight champion from Belarus
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ENTER THE FAT DRAGON: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF SAMMO HUNG is a commemorative look at his career, from his humble beginnings as a member of the Seven Little Fortunes to his work as a one-man Hong Kong film industry. Hung, who recently was awarded the Best Action Choreography award at the 28th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards for his work on IP MAN, is a reknowned actor, director, producer, and action choreographer whose career spans over four decades.
Screen Power U.S. Correspondent and KungFuCinema.com's own Albert Valentin has contributed to the book, writing a biography on Hung as well as an essay on Hung's skills as a martial artist and his career as an action choreographer
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Jean-Claude Van Damme may live to regret turning down a role in Sylvester Stallone's THE EXPENDABLES but his loss is Dolph Lundgren's gain. Sly's ROCKY IV co-star, who was picked to replace the Muscle from Brussels, has revealed new plot details about his character in the action film and who he might end up fighting onscreen.
Lundgren recently spoke to Wizard (via JoBlo.com) and had the following to say
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KUNG FU CYBORG, Jeff Lau's wacky-looking sci-fi comedy starring Jacky Wu Jing as a kung fu-fighting cyborg has been picked up for North American distribution by Strategic Film Partners, an LA-based international sales and distribution company.
The company plans to explore new media platforms including internet, mobile and video-on-demand, apart from traditional theatrical and DVD avenues
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Fresh promotional art and pics of Donnie Yen with a shaved head have surfaced from director Teddy Chen's forthcoming period martial arts movie BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS. Produced by Cinema Popular and We Pictures with action choreography by Tung Wei, the $23 million film began shooting last month and will continue through June.
The story centers on efforts of a group of kung fu experts to protect Dr. Sun Yat-sen as he leads a revolution against the Qing Dynasty
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