British director Simon West is set to dive further into the Middle Kingdom at the helm of his second Chinese action-adventure blockbuster. The Wanda-backed “The Legend Hunters,” hits theaters next summer. West was brought onto the project by veteran producer Eryong, who had approached him about a project in China 12 years ago that later fell through.
“Legend Hunters” follows West’s first foray into the country, the upcoming volcano disaster flick “Skyfire.” He is currently in early stage discussions about two or three other potential Chinese projects that range from sci-fi to period pieces to his specialty, action-adventure, and says he’s in the midst of “negotiating the rights to some very big Chinese IP.” He spoke to Variety about the differences between working in Hollywood and China and his thoughts on the future of co-productions.
Why are you directing so many films abroad?
It’s just coincidence, really. I...
“Legend Hunters” follows West’s first foray into the country, the upcoming volcano disaster flick “Skyfire.” He is currently in early stage discussions about two or three other potential Chinese projects that range from sci-fi to period pieces to his specialty, action-adventure, and says he’s in the midst of “negotiating the rights to some very big Chinese IP.” He spoke to Variety about the differences between working in Hollywood and China and his thoughts on the future of co-productions.
Why are you directing so many films abroad?
It’s just coincidence, really. I...
- 6/16/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Chinese film industry may not yet have emerged from a “cold winter” production freeze, nor its box office kept pace with 2018. But but those inclement elements did not put a chill on the pageantry at the Shanghai International Film Festival.
The opening ceremony for the festival’s 22nd edition went ahead Saturday with the usual red carpet parade, and with the habitual speeches and formalities. But it did so without the scheduled world premiere screening of Guan Hu’s “The Eight Hundred.”
News that the historical war film had been cancelled “for technical reasons” was abruptly circulated just 24 hours earlier — too late for the festival to arrange another new film to take its place. The screening of the second opening film, Chinese drama “Beautiful Voyage,” went forward as planned.
The usual inclement seasonal weather, known locally as “plum rains” held off, permitting a red carpet parade that showcased mainland and Hong Kong stars,...
The opening ceremony for the festival’s 22nd edition went ahead Saturday with the usual red carpet parade, and with the habitual speeches and formalities. But it did so without the scheduled world premiere screening of Guan Hu’s “The Eight Hundred.”
News that the historical war film had been cancelled “for technical reasons” was abruptly circulated just 24 hours earlier — too late for the festival to arrange another new film to take its place. The screening of the second opening film, Chinese drama “Beautiful Voyage,” went forward as planned.
The usual inclement seasonal weather, known locally as “plum rains” held off, permitting a red carpet parade that showcased mainland and Hong Kong stars,...
- 6/15/2019
- by Patrick Frater and Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
It starts with a roar, literally. Unseasonal floods envelope Kerala, as journalist Prateik Babbar, looking distinctly befogged as though caught on the wrong foot (age), almost drowns in the devastation. If he had, we would have been spared the effort of wading through the calamitous climate.
"This is serious," say the ecological experts who huddle together in an important looking techno-office as though waiting for the cricket scores at the Ipl match.
Serious is how novelist Aroon Raman meant to pitch his environmental warning. As directed by Soumik Sen (who last did the underrated "Cheat India"), "Skyfire" comes across as a half-hearted attempt to capture the bite and the warning in the novel.
Firstly, the screenplay compresses all the wrong plot-points, plays up episodes that look dramatic, but also underdeveloped. The Muslim policeman (played rather effectively by Jatin Goswami) has to be honest and duty-bound.
There's a madman who roams...
"This is serious," say the ecological experts who huddle together in an important looking techno-office as though waiting for the cricket scores at the Ipl match.
Serious is how novelist Aroon Raman meant to pitch his environmental warning. As directed by Soumik Sen (who last did the underrated "Cheat India"), "Skyfire" comes across as a half-hearted attempt to capture the bite and the warning in the novel.
Firstly, the screenplay compresses all the wrong plot-points, plays up episodes that look dramatic, but also underdeveloped. The Muslim policeman (played rather effectively by Jatin Goswami) has to be honest and duty-bound.
There's a madman who roams...
- 5/31/2019
- GlamSham
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