Hong Kong director and producer Johnnie To will give crime thriller fans something to look forward to this year with the release of "Three" in movie theaters.
Set in a hospital, "Three" tells the conflict swathing a gangster, surgeon and a policeman, with each character carrying a dark secret of their own.
The cast includes Zhao Wei, Louis Koo and Wallace Chung.
"[The film] won't have lots of spectacles and heavy stunts. In nearly half of the scenes, Wallace lies on a bed and relies on speech and facial expressions to develop the plot," said To in a China Daily report.
To, whose fame extends overseas, is returning to his expertise in crime thriller after his 2015 romance film "Office," which was first shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Now back on his turf, To's new offering is peppered with some elements unique to his style of directing.
The filmmaker, for example, put up a challenge for the actors when shooting without a script, according to China Daily.
"As we had no script, we did not know how the story would develop," said Zhao in a China Daily interview.
The "My Fair Princess" star also revealed that she was coached by a real brain surgeon for about a month to help her in characterization.
To make the scenes appear more vivid, most of the beatings were real, reported China Daily.
The film, which was shot in a made-up hospital in Guangzhou, is set to be released on June 24.
To, now at 61, has more than 40 films under his belt. He started his career at 17, where he worked as a messenger at a TV studio in Hong Kong. He eventually became an executive producer and a TV director. His directorial debut, "The Enigmatic Case," was released in 1980.
To's movies have appeared both in Hong Kong and overseas, especially in North America and Europe.