A press conference was recently held in Beijing to formally announce that superstar Jay Chou’s latest movie is getting underway. The KUNG FU DUNK star will lead a cast that includes Taiwanese supermodel Lin Chi-ling in a romantic adventure movie involving lost treasure and time travel, at least partially set in the Mongolian deserts.
The Chinese title for the $14.6 million film is CI LING which means “prying a tomb.” Currently, the official working English title is THE LOST OF THE SECRET LAND, a title that makes no sense but would be amusing if it stuck. It has a certain charm that fractured English subtitles from ’90s-era Hong Kong movies did.
The plot, according to Chinese media, centers on an adventure novelist (Lin) who gets caught up with a “ruffian” (Chou) over a lost treasure map and an Imperial tomb. In commenting on this news, MonkeyPeaches rightly suggests it has the strong flavor of a variety of past adventure movies including ROMANCING THE STONE, NATIONAL TREASURE and A TERRA-COTTA WARRIOR. If you thought Hollywood was out of ideas, they’re not alone apparently.
The good news is that director Chu Yin-ping, who previously worked with Chou on KUNG FU DUNK, is promising lots of action. Overseeing that action will be wirework master Ching Siu-tung who previously worked with Chou as AD on CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER.
“My fighting ability has increased, but that’s because I’m older,” said the 30-year Chou. “I’ve been working out and jogging.” Unless he plans to be doubled a lot, Chou will probably be doing more than simply working out to prepare for the rigors that Ching is cooking up for him.
Ching’s most recent directorial work, AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS is coming to DVD in the U.S. on The Weinstein Company’s Dragon Dynasty label, currently scheduled for June 24.
For more pictures of the press conference for CI LING visit Sina.com.cn.
Sources: Reuters India, MonkeyPeaches
Related Topics:Ching Siu-Tung • Jay Chou • upcoming
