THE ASSASSIN Gets A China/HK Release Date

The Toronto Film Festival is already gearing up for a delightful set of films from all genres for its respective segments, including Tuesday's Masters programme announcement for the year. Those intetrsted in a wider array of cerebral filmmaking can check out all that's available below - the biggest one, of course, for fans of action being Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Cannes favorite, The Assassin, which now has a release date on deck for August 27 release in China and Hong Kong before opening in Taiwan the next day.

From TIFF:

Ninth century China. A general’s ten-year-old daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who transforms her into an exceptional assassin. Years later, she is sent back to the land of her birth with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised. Nie Yinniang must now choose between the man she loves and the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

Seven years in the making under painstaking and tedious production hinderances are largely what make this one a crowning achievement despite its ballooned budget. Alas, this should be yet another welcoming addition to audiences in the U.S. when the film releases via Well Go USA in the next several months after folks in TIFF attendees get to lend an eye first.

Hit up the official website for details on the Masters programme and more, otherwise watch the latest official trailer below in case you missed it, as well as the poster gallery just beneath.

View post on imgur.com

Watch The Majestic New Teaser For Hou's THE ASSASSIN With Shu Qi Starring!

Director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's latest long-awaited movie, The Assassin, had received plenty of popularity by the end of this year's installment of Cannes with reviews nothing short of upworthy. Point in fact, even so far as coming close to winning the festival's highest honor, the Palme d'Or is reassuring that Hou's new film, well over two decades in the making with close to seven years of stagnant production, will be well worth viewing when it is released to audiences next year. As such, we finally have a trailer making the rounds, offering an enchanting look into Hou's story from a script by Chu Tien-Wen, Hsieh Hai-ming and Zhong Acheng and based on the short story written during the Tang Dynasty with actress Shu Qi in the title role.

SYNOPSIS:

9th century China. 10-year old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

Also starring are Chang Chen, Zhou Yun, Tsumabuki Satoshi and many more, with action sequences by Stephen Tung-Wai. The film bows in China on August 27 with a North American release in tow from Well Go USA, and we now have a full teaser to share which you may now view below!

The Assassin

Hou's THE ASSASSIN Lands At Well Go USA

You know a film must be a huge deal when it's up for the Palme d'Or, the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival. Events are set to kick-off this Wednesday as pre-sales are already underway as they have been for a flourishing number of titles, specifically Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's long-awaited wuxia drama production, The Assassin.

Well Go USA has reportedly nabbed the U.S. rights to the film which still awaits a release with actress Shu Qi starring based on work from the short story compilation, The Extensive Records Of The Taiping Era. Chang Chen and Ethan Ruan also join the cast and hopefully this all means we'll finally see some footage go public whether before or after the film's May 21 premiere.

SYNOPSIS:

9th century China. 10-year old general's daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. Oneday, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised - a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

Stay tuned for more info...and hopefully some footage to spare as well!

The Assassin

H/T: Deadline

Check Out Five New Stills For Hou's Cannes Entry, THE ASSASSIN!

Things are almost in full swing with just a few more weeks to go before Taiwanese director Hou Hsien-Hsiao's latest, The Assassin, premieres at Cannes. The film has since quite a long journey from start to finish spanning decades from its earlier conception up until now, and thankfully we've arrived to some visuals that are a lot nicer on the eyes than the patience has been on our collective sensibilities.

The folks over at The Film Stage kindly presented a batch of FIVE new stills from the film as of this week with actress Shu Qi among those front and center, which still awaits its respective releases throughout Asia. Feel free to glance at them below and wait for more info as it follows.

SYNOPSIS:

9th century China. 10-year old general's daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. Oneday, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised - a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

Hou's THE ASSASSIN Makes The Rounds With A New Poster!

It's been a long, long journey for the The Puppetmaster and Goodbye South, Goodbye helmer, Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsien-Hsiao whose latest martial arts debut with the $14 million dollar action romance epic, The Assassin, initially saw cameras rolling as early as 2010 and 2012 before being plagued by a series of unfortunate stops and starts. Those who are familiar with the DNA of Hou's work might empathize just a little bit as it was new ground for the director who talked about his experience back in 2014 when he officially wrapped production, and needless to say, the wait is just a little bit closer to being over with the virility of the latest poster for the film which you can take a look at below, courtesy of international sales agent, Wild Bunch.

SYNOPSIS:

9th century China. 10-year old general's daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. Oneday, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised - a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

The film is based on a short story from a compilation known as "The Extensive Records Of The Taiping Era" (a.k.a. Tàipíng Guǎngjì), and produced by Huang Wen-Ying from a script by Hou and co-scribe Chu Tien-Wen. Actress Qi (So Close, Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons) joined by Brotherhood Of Blades star Chang Chen, The World Of Kanako co-star Satoshi Tsumabuki, The Guillotines co-star Ethan Ruan and many more.

Watch this space for more information as it appears 2015 may finally forsee the film's release.

Vicky Zhao Joins Shu Qi And Tsui Hark For JOURNEY TO THE WEST Sequel

Nowadays, actress Vicky Zhao's career prominence has seen some great influence in recent years between directing and staking a near 10% ownership claim in Alibaba Pictures with her husband. I can't really speak fully on what that means for this particular report, although bearing this in mind it seems fitting that she seizes the opportunity to return to the screen in some capacity.

On that note, it just so happens that Alibaba Pictures is producing director Tsui Hark's Journey To The West sequel following up Stephen Chow's initial installment in 2013. And, according to Jaynestars, it just so happens that the production is bringing Zhao on board for a role, essentially reuniting the actress with Chow who directed the first film following their previous work together just fourteen years ago on the kung fu sports comedy epic, Shaolin Soccer.

The film also brings Zhao together with fellow So Close star, actress Shu Qi who starred in the 2013 film which released to critical and commercial acclaim. Journey To The West 2 is slated to commense filming this August while further details on the production. 

Stay tuned for more info.

Shu Qi, Tsui Hark Set For JOURNEY TO THE WEST 2 In 2017

Director Hou Hsiao Hsien's period action thriller, The Assassin, is still in limbo as far as most of us may know following its announced completion last year, but fans of actress Shu Qi will be delighted to learn more following reports of her likely return to the set with Stephen Chow soon enough. And by this notion, it will very much be a sequel to the 2013 smash hit, Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons.

The first film, written by Derek Kwok, became a record-breaking box office success which saw actor Wen Zhang as Tang Sanzang, a Buddhist protecting a village from three demons with the help of mystical huntress, played by Qi. Jaynestars reports that the actress will be re-joined with Zhang along with Huang Bo's reprisal as The Monkey King, as so inspired by Wu Cheng'en's classic story, for which Chow and The Taking Of Tiger Mountain helmer, legendary filmmaker Tsui Hark are in talks to produce and direct, respectively. An English-language remake of the first film was announced last year, although updates are still pending.

Alibaba Pictures is bankrolling the sequel which will commence shooting this August before its planned Lunar New Year release in January of 2017. In the meantime, a 3D re-rendering of Chow's 2004 hit, Kung Fu Hustle, is getting some screentime domestically between now and next week, while Hark's newly-produced fantasy wuxia remake, director Derek Yee's Sword Master is pending a release of its own later this year.

Stay tuned for more info.

H/T: City On Fire