Hong Kong production shingle Media Asia said Thursday that it will invest HK $500 million ($65 million) in a slate of ten movies that includes two of the three biggest to be made in China this year.
Chairman Peter Lam said the company, which produced “Infernal Affairs” and “Confession of Pain,” has struck multi-movie deals with helmers including Johnnie To, Soi Cheang and China’s Lu Chuan.
Its biggest financial commitment by far is to “The Warlords,” the $40 million period actioner now shooting in China with Peter Chan Ho-sun helming and a starry cast headed by Andy Lau, Jet Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Xu Jinglei. Previously titled “Violent Land” and “Ci Ma” in Chinese, the pic will now be a Media Asia, China Film Group, Morgan Chan presentation.
Details of its rights split have yet to be fully determined. Company will share international rights with Morgan Chan, a newish company involving producer-director Chan (”Who’s the Man, Who’s the Woman”) and “Godfather” producer Andre Morgan. The two companies will share a booth at the upcoming FilMart.
Media Asia will also board “The Assembly,” a Chinese civil war pic helmed by Feng Xiaogang (”Cell Phone”).
Pic, which is in post, is produced by leading Chinese indie Huayi Brothers and is set for delivery in December.
Sales rights will be shared between the two outfits in much the same way as they were on Feng’s Ziyi Zhang starrer “The Banquet.”
Media Asia will own rights in Hong Kong, Taiwan and much of South East Asia and will likely also handle Japan. Huayi will handle much of the rest of the world, although North American rights have yet to be allocated.
Also on 2007 slate is “Hook on You,” a $3 million production by Milky Way Image that stars multihyphenates Miriam Yeung and Eason Chan. Pic is in production under helmer Law Wing-cheung, helmer of Yeung’s surprise hit cancer comedy “Two Become One.”
Group, which is linked through Lam to eSun Group and three talent management agencies, is also planning a vehicle for singing star Sammi Cheng and another by contract helmer Dante Lam.[by Miriam_Yeung_Chin_Wah Fan]
Related posts:
Leave a Response