‘Expendables 3′ – John Woo Wants to Direct, Set the Film in China

‘The Expendables 3′ is in the works, whether you’re excited for it or not. Perhaps the main reason to get excited for the flick is to see who Sylvester Stallone wrangles in to join the ensemble, or Jackie Chan (rumored cast members have included Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage to Clint Eastwood!) But perhaps even more crucial to the movie’s success will be the man sitting in the director’s chair. We’re still awaiting word of the ‘Expendables 3′ director but John Woo, who at one point was unquestionably the most exciting conductor of action, says he “will do it”.

In an interview picked up by ExpendablesPremiere.com, Woo speaks about the possibility of directing ‘Expendables 3′ with enthusiasm:

I am a big fan of all those guys and I will do it but I want less studio and producer interference. I want to shoot the movie the way I want. That’s the difference making a movie in China and Hollywood. In China, The Studio and producer allow flexibility to the director. One thing for sure is, I want it to take place in China.

The director goes on to say that he’s already envisioned a big fight sequence between Jet Li and Jean-Claude Van Damme (who starred in Woo’s ‘Hard Target’), but – spoiler alert! – JCVD bit the dust in the last film, so that prospect is unlikely.

If Woo really were chosen to direct ‘Expendables 3′ (and there’s nothing to indicate that talks have actually taken place), there’s no question the project’s appeal would receive a very significant boost. Even though his later English-language films disappointed (anyone remember ‘Paycheck’ or ‘Windtalkers?’), Woo will always have clout with movie fanatics thanks to the brilliant mayhem he orchestrated with ‘The Killer’ and ‘Hard Boiled’. Woo’s masterful, over-the-top style seems rather well suited for the tongue-in-cheek world The Expendables play in.

However, if he’s worried about producer interference, he must realize that Stallone likely has the final word when it comes to these films.

Source: screen crush via Chinese Films

Venice festival honors Chinese director John Woo

Source: Agencies

 

The Venice film festival on Friday honored Hong Kong director John Woo, one of the few Asian filmmakers to enjoy box office success in Hollywood as well as at home.

The 64-year-old was awarded a lifetime achievement Golden Lion at the world’s oldest film festival on the same day it showcased his latest film “Reign of Assassins,” which he co-directed with Su Chao-Pin and also produced.

Woo, best known for his choreographed action sequences, was active in Hong Kong during the 1970s and 1980s, and in 1989 he released “The Killer,” which drew the attention of U.S. filmmakers and helped him make the jump to Hollywood.

He moved there in 1993, and directed Jean-Claude Van Damme in “Hard Target” the same year.

Three years later he made “Broken Arrow” starring John Travolta, and teamed up with the actor again in 1997 in “Face/Off,” a financial and critical hit.

In 2000, Woo directed Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible II,” which was the world’s biggest earner that year, but his next two U.S. projects failed to match that success.

He has since returned to China to direct.

“Since I’d been working in Hollywood for over 16 years and learned a lot … I think it is about time to bring what I have learned in Hollywood into Asia,” Woo told reporters in Venice.

“On the other hand, I find we have so many good stories from our culture.”

“I work in quite a few foreign countries and I find people in general don’t know much about our culture and history. Some people are only familiar with our kung fu films.”

“That’s why I made a decision to make a movie like ‘Red Cliff’ and produce a movie like of Reign of Assassins,” he added. “It doesn’t mean I’ve given up Hollywood. I still have several projects in Hollywood and I would love to work both in China and the United States.”

Red Cliff is a two-part period epic that is billed as the most expensive ever Asian-financed movie. It also broke box office records in the region.

Asked how he felt about being officially recognized by the Venice festival, Woo replied:

“When (festival director) Marco Mueller mentioned he was giving me this lifetime achievement award, my first reaction was of shock. The second reaction was I thought he was kidding.”

Reign of Assassins, set in ancient China, stars Michelle Yeoh as a skilled assassin who is on a mission to return the remains of a mystical Buddhist monk, believed to hold special powers, to their resting place.

Along the way, she falls in love with a man named Jiang, whose father was killed by her gang.

Unaware that he also is a trained martial artist, love blossoms but tensions arise as the truth of her past unfolds.

New Trailer Sheds Light on Stellar ‘Assassins’

John Woo’s upcoming martial-arts drama “Reign of Assassins” (“Jianyu”) has released a new trailer which reveals the film’s star-studded cast, Sina.com.cn reports.

Lead actors show up one by one in the 75-second trailer which follows the assassination plot targeting a retired murderess.

“Reign of Assassins” is about a retired murderess (Michelle Yeoh) who lives with her husband, an ordinary and optimistic mailman (Jung Woo-Sung) in a small town set in ancient China. The woman owns a treasure that attracts many assassins.

The killers are performed by Wang Xueqi, Kelly Lin, Shawn Yue, Leon Dai and Barbie Hsu.

“The theme of the film is not about assassins and revenge but about love, which is the core message of my films. People should search for a way to get along with each other instead of hate and grudge,” John Woo was quoted by Sina.com.cn as saying.

The director also revealed that the key character in the film, the ordinary mailman played by Jung Woo-Sung, will make the film more mysterious.

The film will premiere on September 3 at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. The domestic release is set for September 28.

Source: CRIENGLISH.com

Stills & Trailer for John Woo’s ‘Reign of Assassins’

Barbie Hsu’s look in John Woo’s New Film

John Woo’s film “Jianyu” or “Reign of Assassins” released a series of photos of Taiwan actress Barbie Hsu who portrays an assassin in the film. [Photo: Sina.com.cn]

No ‘fight for fight’s sake’

Source: China Daily

John Woo’s new film has martial arts, but also women and love.

John Woo describes his new Chinese film as a cross between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Face/Off, only set in ancient China.

Titled Reign of Assassins, it follows a female assassin who wants to become a housewife. But it is not easy to abandon one’s past.

Armed with an ancient monk’s remains that can unleash destructive power, she embarks on a deadly pursuit of other assassins.

It is scripted by Taiwan director Su Chao-pin and co-directed by Woo, who says he loves the story.

“I think he (Su) was inspired by Face/Off, but he will not admit it,” Woo says, with his signature shy smile. “Both stories are about people who want to destroy their past and lead a different life. But that is difficult.”

The story also has shades of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in that the assassin marries a skilled swordsman who works as a postman.

“I love the story because it is very different from most wuxia films,” Woo says. “It tells human-interest stories, while many wuxia (stories are about) just fight for fight’s sake.”

Also, the film is a dream come true for the 64-year-old veteran. Known for gunplay films such as A Better Tomorrow and Windtalkers, Woo has long wanted to shoot films about wuxia, women and love. Now he has all in one film.

“Sword is the new gun in this film,” he says. “Gun or sword, as long as they are used right, can stand for integrity and justice, not violence.”

Michelle Yeoh, star of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Mummy 3, leads the cast. An old friend of Woo, she wins high praise from the director.

“She is as brave as Jackie Chan,” Woo says. “She used to be a dancer, so her fighting sequences are both beautiful and powerful.”

The film is also a love story, Woo says. “You will see how a woman gives up everything for love.”

Yeoh, in turn, describes Woo as the real star on the set.

“Every day I find more and more people on the set, all fans of Woo,” she laughs. “Everybody wants to watch how he directs the film. He is very gentlemanly, always smiling, (saying) okay, good, but (what about) another take?”

Yeoh also says Woo gives Su much freedom to direct. He always seeks Su’s opinion first, before giving his advice.

“He never tells Su to do something or not to do something, I think this is the way really accomplished men do things,” Yeoh gushes.

Su is not the first young director Woo has supported. He has produced the works of two young directors and is aiding Taiwan director Wei Te-Sheng’s new epic Seediq Bale (literally “a real man” in the language of the Seediqs, a Taiwan aboriginal group).

“I like working with young talents,” he says. “Sometimes, they just need an opportunity.”

John Woo to head Shanghai Int’l Film Festival jury

Source: Global Times By Mao Renjie

The 13th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), scheduled to run from June 12-20 this year, announced its new jury president this week: A Better Tomorrow and The Killer director John Woo.

According to Woo, who described the film festival as “a spotlighting stage to pres-ent diversity of cultures,” he is honored to chair this year’s jury panel and said it would be a completely new experience.

Woo said in his acceptance announcement that he is looking forward to the festival, based on his love of Shanghai and deep interest in China’s movie industry. He said he hopes to get acquainted with the local industry, with artists from all over the world and with local movie lovers.

Tang Lijun, SIFF’s managing director, explained that they chose Woo as he is respected both in China and abroad.

“Having created a brand-new vision of art with his films, Woo has changed the status of Chinese films in the world and made Hollywood see the abilities of Chinese filmmakers, which is coherent with SIFF’s theme and goal,” Tang said.

Woo is the not first internationally-renowned director invited to chair SIFF. Former jury presidents include Luc Besson, Danny Boyle and Chen Kaige.

Currently producing costume action film Rain of Sword, which stars Michelle Yeoh and Korean actor Jung Woo Sung, Woo said he will bring the film and its cast to the festival and that some of his classics will also be screened.

A new Global Village section has been added to this year’s festival to celebrate World Expo in Shanghai.

Trailer Released for John Woo’s Martial-Arts Film

A trailer has been released for the martial-arts film “Reign of Assassins”, director John Woo’s latest offering since his box-office favorite “Red Cliff”.

Set in an ancient dynasty, the trailer offers an early peek into a secret society of assassins.

The star-studded cast is led by Malaysian-Chinese actress Michelle Yeoh (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) and South Korean actor Jung Woo-Sung (“A Good Rain Knows”). Together, they portray a couple embroiled in a secret plan. The supporting cast includes a line-up of Chinese stars such as Wang Xueqi, Barbie Hsu, Shawn Yue and Leon Dai.

Hollywood-based Hong Kong director John Woo co-directed the film along with writer-filmmaker Su Chao-Pin.

The 12-million-US-dollar film is set for global release this fall.

CRIENGLISH.com

Filmmaker John Woo unspools own story

Source: By Xu Fan (China Daily)

In addition to his numerous crowns, such as “the first Chinese film director to conquer Hollywood” or “Asia’s highest-grossing film’s director”, John Woo has won his latest, perhaps biggest, honor as “the most influential Chinese person in the world” in the cultural area.

Amid applause and cheers, Woo, wore a confident smile as he strode to the glittering stage at Peking University during the March 27 You Bring Charm to the World event, sponsored by Phoenix Television and other Chinese media outlets.

The 64-year-old filmmaker attracted a burst of flashbulbs, far more than the other winners, who included notables such as Nobel physics prize winner Charles K. Kao and biologist Pan Wenshi.

Woo’s acceptance speech surprised the audience.

“My wife is so pretty,” Woo said, giving a nod to his wife, Niu Chun Long, as he lifted the golden cup.

It might have sounded absent-minded, but it revealed the soft side of the Hong Kong-based director, who struggled – and finally succeeded – in Hollywood.

“When I went to the United States in 1993, Some Americans judged Chinese with prejudice,” he said in a mild tone.

“I changed their bias with my films. Thanks to my pretty wife and family. Without their support, I wouldn’t have persisted until now.”

Woo said he and his friends often kid each other while saying hello, asking such things as, “Are you still with the same woman?” a joking acknowledgment of the assorted romantic dalliances Tinseltown is known for.

“Every time I reply, ‘Yes, the same one’,” Woo said, smiling.

Speaking little English and being a freshman in the world’s biggest dream factory, Woo in the early years in the US found he had no right to rewrite a line of script as a chief director, even though he had already reached the summit of Hong Kong’s movie scene with the film A Better Tomorrow, which starred leading Hong Kong actor Yun-Fat Chow.

“Woo established his fame as the ‘violent aesthetics master’ in the movie industry then. His work hasn’t been exceeded yet,” said Han Songluo, a film critic.

Zhang Jiazheng, Woo’s work partner and frequent collaborating producer, revealed more about Woo’s days in Hollywood.

“When Woo directed his first Hollywood movie, Hard Target, he had no final editing right and the America producer kept eyes on him all the time,” Zhang told the Liao Shen Evening News.

“Because Woo spoke little English, he couldn’t argue with the producer,” Zhang said. “When he was agitated, he roared to me in Cantonese.”

With so many obstacles, Woo’s first Hollywood movie foundered and suffered biting criticism. “A coarse Hong Kong movie dubbed in English”, one reviewer wrote.

“My employer lost confidence and I had to stay there without an income. I waited almost two years for the next chance,” said Woo.

Woo has never surrendered. He proved that Chinese directors could produce blockbuster movies. The first piece of evidence was the popular action thriller Broken Arrow, which featured the actors John Travolta and Christian Slater.

That kicked off a successful sweep of global hits, including the Travolta-Nicolas Cage movie Face/Off, the Tom Cruise film Mission: Impossible II, and Paycheck.

“What I learned in Hollywood is an excellent director should obey to three rules: save budget, work in a strict system and be charming enough to attract superstars. Then the companies will favor you,” Woo said.

Woo returned to the Chinese film world with the epic Red Cliff, which fulfilled his 20-year-old dream of making a movie adapted from the Chinese classical novel Three Kingdoms.

Red Cliff, a two-part series, is the highest-grossing Chinese movie in Asia. The film expanded the normal concept of what makes a hero, before traditionally considered mainly to be a stylized individual fighting bad guys to save the world.

“A genuine hero is not someone who wins a battle or kills evil,” Woo said. “A hero should love everyone like his own son.”

The director has been busy making preparations for a World War II epic, Tiger, which explores the friendship between Chinese pilots and the 1st American Volunteer Group, the fighter pilot mercenaries nicknamed the Flying Tigers.

“It’s a hot subject which always fascinates Hollywood. I have flown to Kunming to look for their previous headquarters and the draft script has already been finished,” said Woo.

He added that the new film would shoot air battle scenes in Yunnan province.

He revealed that actor Tom Cruise might be invited to play the role of the Flying Tigers’ founder, Claire Lee Chennault.

My daughter will play a role in the movie,” he added, taking on a role himself: of proud father.

Source article: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2010-04/08/content_9702021.htm

John Woo to be honored in Venice

Source: (CRI)

Hollywood-based Chinese director John Woo will receive a lifetime achievement award at next year’s Venice International Film Festival, organizers announced on Monday.

Woo will pick up the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the 67th Venice festival, which is scheduled to run in Venice from September 1-11, 2010.

“The acknowledgment recognizes a filmmaker who in recent decades, with his revolutionary conception of staging and editing, has renewed action movies to the core,” the festival’s Website says.

Born in 1946 and raised in Hong Kong, Woo is the director of such Hollywood hits as “Mission: Impossible 2″ and “Face/Off”.

Last year, Woo returned to China with the ancient war epic “Red Cliff”, released in two segments. The first installment opened in Chinese theaters in July 2008 and took only one month to set a new box-office record for domestic films.

Woo is currently working on a new Chinese-language action movie called “Jianyu Jianghu” or literally, “the rain of swords in the martial-arts world,” starring Michelle Yeoh, Jung Woo-Sung and Wang Xueqi.

Source article: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2009-12/23/content_9219347.htm