3 kingdoms...andy
Andy Lau has officially announced this project, which will be based on classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, at a press conference held in Pusan. Romance of the Three Kingdoms was written by Luo Guanzhong in 15th Century. It is a dramatic chronicle of the Chinese history from AD 184 to AD 280, during which China spitted into three kingdoms Wei Shu and Wu, after the Han Dynasty fells, and eventually reunited again under the Jin Dynasty. It is the most influential historical novel ever written in China and has become one of the popular sources for folk operas, TV series, movies, comic series and games.
The focus will be on Zhao Yun (also known as Zhao Zilong, which was also the working title for the project when it was originally revealed to the public last fall), a relatively minor character in the original novel, in which he is a handsome warrior and military commander, who is very loyal to Liu Bei, who's son becomes the first ruler of the Kingdom of Shu.
Leon Lai will play Zhou Yu, the chief military commander loyal to Sun Quan, the founder of the Kingdom of Wu, Sammo Hung will play Zhang Fei, another warrior loyal to Liu Bei (Hung will also serve as the choreographer). Maggie Q is playing Cao Ying, the granddaughter of warlord Cao Cao, who's oldest son becomes the first emperor of the kingdom of Wei (Q's character is specifically created for her.) Taewon Entertainment is also interested in offering Zhang Ziyi a role, according to the Chinese press.
the plot:
In early 3rd Century, the once powerful Han Empire was practically dead and the territory of northern China was controlled by powerful war lard Cao Cao, who had the ambition to take the rest of the country. Liu Bei, a much smaller war lord, run to the south along with his sworn brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, as well as a young warrior named Zhang Yun (to be played by Andy Lau). Liu Bei joined force with southern war lord Sun Quan and defeated Cao Cao’s troops and fleets in Red Cliff. In 220 AD, Cao Cao died and his oldest son Cao Pi dethroned the last emperor of Han and proclaimed himself as the first emperor of Wei in northern China. A year later, Liu Bei, who claimed direct descent from a previous Han emperor, established the kingdom of Han (commonly called “Shuâ€) in southwestern China. Eight years later, Sun Quan also set up his own kingdom called Wu. In the next four decades, Shu repeatedly sent troops to attack Wei, in attempt to reclaim the lost land but in the end, in 263 AD, Shu was swallowed by Wei’s army.
The story of the movie is set in the final days of Shu kingdom. Emperor Liu Bei and his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei (to be played by Sammo Hung) have passed away. Zhao Yun, who is already over 80, is commanding the final battle against Wei. A series of flashbacks will show Zhao Yun’s glorious stories in the past six decades and a secret love affair with war lord Cao Cao’s daughter Cao Ying (a fictional character specifically created for Maggie Q).
Though both are based on Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon and John Woo’s The Battle of Red Cliff are recreating the novel on the big screen with different approaches. Three Kingdoms intends to tell the life story of Zhao Yun, a minor character in the original novel; and Battle of Red Cliff is expected to recreate the historical Battle of Red Cliff, which occupied about one tenth in the original novel.
Daniel Lee ("Dragon Squad," "One Armed Swordsman") will direct.
With a budget approaching $25 million, pic is set up by Hong Kong's Visualizer Film and Korea's Taewon Entertainment and will shoot in China from March 2007. Golden Scene will handle asian distribution, while Taewon will keep rights for Korea.
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