Member Milkyway Posted December 22, 2008 Member Share Posted December 22, 2008 Director eyes pop singer to star as Bruce Lee HONG KONG — He lists Jet Li as one of his idols, penned a song called "Nunchucks" and his most recent movie is called "Kung Fu Dunk." Now he's in the running to star as the ultimate martial arts icon — Bruce Lee. Hong Kong director Wilson Yip said Monday he's considering Taiwanese pop sensation Jay Chou for the role of Lee in the sequel to his recently released film "Ip Man," a biography of Lee's kung fu master. Also in his sights to star as the king of kung fu cinema is another singer-turned-actor, Hong Kong's Aaron Kwok. "Aaron Kwok will bring his unique qualities to the role of Bruce Lee. Jay Chou will bring his unique qualities. I will prepare a different script for each actor and see who is interested," Yip told The Associated Press. He said Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen will reprise his role as the title character, Ip Man. "Ip Man" is based on the life of the legendary master of wing chun — a kung fu style that traces its roots to a monk from the famed Shaolin Temple. The film ends with Ip's move from his southern Chinese hometown of Foshan to neighboring Hong Kong to escape the Communist takeover of the mainland. It was in Hong Kong where Ip met 13-year-old Lee and took him under his wing. Yip said the follow-up film will focus on Ip's relationship with his most famous disciple. Polly Chan, a publicist for Hong Kong's Mandarin Films Ltd., confirmed that the company has plans to make a sequel but the final decision depends on the box office results for the original. "Ip Man" took in about 30 million Chinese yuan ($4.4 million) on its opening weekend Dec. 12 in China, a solid performance in a country where a movie that makes 100 million yuan ($15 million) is considered a hit. Lee, who died in Hong Kong in 1973 at age 32 from swelling of the brain, was born in San Francisco but grew up in Hong Kong, where he launched his big screen career as an international martial arts superstar. His credits include "The Chinese Connection," ''Enter the Dragon" and "Return of the Dragon." http://www.gmanews.tv/story/140677/Director-eyes-pop-singer-to-star-as-Bruce-Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Kaal Posted December 22, 2008 Member Share Posted December 22, 2008 Legend of Bruce Lee series, remake of The Green Hornet, and now this Bruceploitation is back Sounds really intresting:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Charuto Posted December 23, 2008 Member Share Posted December 23, 2008 Jay Chow should not be an actor. Furthermore, he doesn't have the swag to be Bruce Lee. Aaron Kwok's character in Throwdown thought he was some big shot. I'm not convinced on him, but I'd much rather he get it than Jay Chow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member SimonMW Posted December 23, 2008 Member Share Posted December 23, 2008 Why on earth do we have to suffer through Bruce Lee involvement in an Ip Man sequel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Xin Long Posted December 23, 2008 Member Share Posted December 23, 2008 I've watched IP Man twice in New Zealand, awesome movie! But Jay Chou to play Bruce Lee for the sequel for IP Man... that scares me because I want to want the sequel to be as good as the first one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yi-Long Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Jay Chow as Bruce Lee? Bruce Lee was a teenage punk kid when he was learning wing chun. Why not let the role be played by a talented young kid, instead of by Jay Chow!? i guess HK is once again opting to cast a well-known popular singer in an important martial arts role, instead of an actually talented martial artist/actor. Sigh. Ah well. Ip Man sounds absolutely great. Ip Man 2, judged only on casting-rumours so far, sounds like it will rather have a nice box-office from some teenage Jay Chow fans instead of making an actually good movie. Jay Chow as Bruce Lee, and as a teenage Bruce Lee no less... (!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Dragon Posted December 24, 2008 Member Share Posted December 24, 2008 !!! ... Bruceploitation is back;) It never went away. Plenty proof here. :l Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member emacs Posted December 24, 2008 Member Share Posted December 24, 2008 although i have high hopes for the sequel i hope they don't turn Ip Man into a film franchise. such things have spotty records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member doug maverick Posted December 24, 2008 Member Share Posted December 24, 2008 you could forget that its a done deal. you gonna have a bunch of yip man movies coming out left and right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member The Dragon Posted December 24, 2008 Member Share Posted December 24, 2008 YIPLOITATION!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yi-Long Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 YIPLOITATION!! I'm not so sure if I should be happy with that... :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member drunkenmaster Posted December 25, 2008 Member Share Posted December 25, 2008 I think it was always the intention that Ip Man would be more than one film if they were to tell the full story. Although there is a connection to Bruce Lee I really hope it doesn't become a focal point for the second film. Include it by all means, but there is a lot more to Ip Man than one famous student. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member drunkenmaster Posted December 26, 2008 Member Share Posted December 26, 2008 Like anyone expects a film biopic to be the true warts and all story? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member emacs Posted December 27, 2008 Member Share Posted December 27, 2008 you could forget that its a done deal. you gonna have a bunch of yip man movies coming out left and right now. somewhat expected and rather unfortunate, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Tantheman Posted December 31, 2008 Member Share Posted December 31, 2008 Does anyone know if Ip man is getting a cinema release in the west? I need to see it on the big screen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted March 7, 2009 Author Member Share Posted March 7, 2009 Ip Man 2 May Still Focus on... Ip Man -- Ip Man 2 -- During an interview, Raymond Wong was asked about the progress of Ip Man 2. He says that director Wilson Yip and his son Edmond Wong, script writer for the film, have been to Foshan to collate information, and Bruce Lee might not be appearing in the immediate sequel (or at least not until the third movie), "Right now, the script hasn't reached Bruce Lee's part, and the sequel's budgeted at around 100m yuan. We're considering building sets." As to Fan Siu Wong and Lam Ka Tung's characters, "In the original film, they're supposed to be dead, but owing to Mainland censorship, the scenes depicting their deaths were cut, so, they'd still have a chance to appear in the sequel." On being asked about The Great Master, Wong Kar Wai's version, starring Tony Leung, Gong Li, Chang Chen, with Yuen Wo Ping, who just completed filming True Legend in January, being approached to be the choreographer, that begins production in a few months, Raymond Wong says Wong Kar Wai's style is different, and it's wonderful for him to shoot it. On Donnie Yen, Lam Ka Tung and Fan Siu Wong receiving Hong Kong Film Awards nominations for their roles in Ip Man, Raymond Wong thinks Donnie Yen and Lam Ka Tung stand good chances. http://www.wu-jing.org/happenings/archives/627-Ip-Man-2-May-Still-Focus-on...-Ip-Man.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Chinatown Kid Posted March 7, 2009 Member Share Posted March 7, 2009 I read that Bruce and Yip Man had a falling out because Lee wanted to film the old man working out on the wooden dummy but Yip refused because he was a stern traditionalist and thought it would be wrong. Also Bruce saw the limitations in WC and traditional styles in general and evolved to his method of JKD. It would be interesting to see if this issue is portrayed in further films about Ip Man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member doug maverick Posted March 8, 2009 Member Share Posted March 8, 2009 I read that Bruce and Yip Man had a falling out because Lee wanted to film the old man working out on the wooden dummy but Yip refused because he was a stern traditionalist and thought it would be wrong. Also Bruce saw the limitations in WC and traditional styles in general and evolved to his method of JKD. It would be interesting to see if this issue is portrayed in further films about Ip Man. what???????? you do know that there is video of yip man working on the dummy and doing forms right? bruce lee was orced out of yip mans school because of something that had to do with him not being all the way chinese(correct me if im wrong but this the story william chueng has stated). so idk where you got your info. but its false especially about the filming thing. considering that film exist. shit you can youtube it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted March 15, 2009 Author Member Share Posted March 15, 2009 Minor update (Big ups to Maz): Wilson Yip revealed on a recent phone interview that, aside Louis Fan who will most likely return as Master Kam, he will cast another martial artist whom he didn't want to reveal yet and is of equal stature to Donnie Yen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member SimonMW Posted March 15, 2009 Member Share Posted March 15, 2009 he will cast another martial artist whom he didn't want to reveal yet and is of equal stature to Donnie Yen. Hopefully he will be the main fighting bad guy. I found the Wing Chun in the first film to be a bit wooden. Hopefully in the sequel, given the HK setting it will be a bit more fluid and SPL like, as well it should be! Donnie really needs someone who is his equal to bring out his best in fights. Wu Jing again? Or perhaps Won Jin? Now THAT would be cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Milkyway Posted March 15, 2009 Author Member Share Posted March 15, 2009 I found the Wing Chun in the first film to be a bit wooden. More *oophm* was needed imo. Some hits felt light and less affecting. In terms of equal stature, I got the impression that Yip referred to Jet Li either because 1) Both are the only big MA actors repping the local industry these days or 2) Jet Li recently announced that he would be more gladly to accept supporting/cameo roles than leading roles so he can concentrate on charity work. Wu Jing is a possibility but I don't think his stature as equal to Donnie Yen's because he ended up in B movies and isn't as well received as the former. Otherwise, who knows. Let's see how things go later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member SimonMW Posted March 17, 2009 Member Share Posted March 17, 2009 More *oophm* was needed imo. Some hits felt light and less affecting. More 'body' is needed. More redirection is needed. Wing Chun borrows force and deflects force. It needs to be much more fluid, while still retaining the viciousness. Put an opponent in place of the wooden dummy in Rumble In The Bronx and that would make an amazing screen version of Wing Chun! That intensity and power. There was something a bit, I dunno, 'stiff' about some of the Wing Chun in Ip Man. I liked the first half of the film, but the second half after the Japanese invasion was rather flat. Aside from the factory the sets and lighting looked like the lifeless cinematography found in Fist of Fury etc. Perhaps that is what they wanted. But the set they shot in fighting the Karateka was really lacking in interest and atmosphere. The two halves of the film feel like two seperate movies. Oh well. I'm hoping that the sequel a) doesn't involve Bruce Lee at all, shows Leung Sheung and Ip's other early students, c) is much more fluid with alley battles and roof top fights, and d) stays well away from the 70's and the associated clothing fashions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member wrewdedededewdedewdedwed Posted March 18, 2009 Member Share Posted March 18, 2009 I think it was always the intention that Ip Man would be more than one film if they were to tell the full story. Although there is a connection to Bruce Lee I really hope it doesn't become a focal point for the second film. Include it by all means, but there is a lot more to Ip Man than one famous student. My thoughts exactly. But it does seem like Bruce Lee is going to be the focal point after all. A master-pupil relationship, however cannot be the only focus. There must be some form of obstacle for the characters to overcome. Undoubtedly, some villain may be involved. I doubt it'll be Louis Fan again since he got his butt whipped (literally) in the 1st film. It may be the superstar gongfu actor promised by Wilson Yip. My guess (and everyone's?) is Sammo Hung himself! My IP Man Wing Chun Tribute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member drunkenmaster Posted March 19, 2009 Member Share Posted March 19, 2009 It may be the superstar gongfu actor promised by Wilson Yip. My guess (and everyone's?) is Sammo Hung himself! Well that would certainly get my interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member wrewdedededewdedewdedwed Posted March 19, 2009 Member Share Posted March 19, 2009 Well that would certainly get my interest. Haha, I can see why. Rematch of Sammo and Donnie will be interesting. Wing Chun v.s Wing Chun perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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