Chinese People Prepare For Upcoming New Year (Photo : Getty Images)
Producers of “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2” released on Tuesday in Beijing the first teaser of the film based on an ancient Chinese fantasy novel “The Monkey King.” Two kings of Hong Kong cinema collaborated for the most anticipated movie of 2017’s Spring Festival.
Stephen Chow, the King of Comedy, and producer of Chinese blockbuster movies such as 2016’s megahit “The Mermaid,” teamed up with Tsui Hark, King of Martial Arts films in Hong Kong. It is the first time the two filmmakers worked together in an in-depth collaboration with Chow writing the script and serving as executive producer, while Tsui was director, China Entertainment News reported.
To promote the movie, a press conference where the first trailer was shown was held, attended by the actors of the movie such as Kris Wu, Lin Gengxin, Bao Bei’er, Wang Duo, Yang Yiwei and Mengke Bateer, a basketball player who became an actor. Yao Chen, the actress who plays a leading role in “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2,” was absent in the event because she is pregnant.
Chow, who directed three “Journey to the West” films before, proposed the script to Tsui who agreed to direct it. As executive producer, Chow was hands on in the film’s production, creative process and promotion. Unlike Chow’s blockbuster movie “The Mermaid” which has a box office receipt of 3.39 billion yuan – the highest grossing Chinese movie – the upcoming film does not have special visual effect shown in the trailer.
Ahead of the first trailer, the film’s promotional poster was released on Oct. 23, Sunday, CRIEnglish reported. The poster stated it would open on Jan. 28, 2017, the first day of the most profitable film season of the year in China, the Spring Festival.
