If Chinese actor Donnie Yen had second thoughts about taking on the role of Chirrut Imwe in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” because he would be away from his kids for months while shooting the movie, it was the other way around for fellow Chinese actor Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan, who plays Baze Malbus – the protector of blind monk Chirrut Imwe – accepted the role partly because his son told the actor he wanted to see his father in an action hero role, CRI reported. After he signed, Jiang Wan said working with director Gareth Williams became more excited with the role.
Excitement from Actor & Fans
The excitement comes from all actors feeling like students working together on a university campus, Jiang Wan said. If he was excited about his role, Chinese fans are said to be excited about watching the “Star Wars” standalone movie when it opens in China on Jan. 6.
It confirms the decision of Disney to get Chinese actors for key roles in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Movie” was correct because it would bring back Chinese moviegoers to the cinema and hopefully, help reverse the declining box-office receipts in the second-largest film market in the world. Another movie which targets Chinese audience, “The Great Wall” by director Zhang Yimou, is enjoying good box-office results in China.
Box-Office Receipt
In the U.S., “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” clobbered “Sing” with an estimated box-office of $110 million for four days – more than 50 percent of “Sing’s” income – from 4,157 theaters. Its Saturday box-office was $15 million, while “Sing” earned $7.8 million on Saturday from 4,022 cinemas. Its four-day box-office receipts is estimated at $51 million to $54 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Two other movies that opened on Wednesday, “Passengers” and “Assassin’s Creed” were left way behind with box-office receipts on Saturday of $2.8 million from 3,478 moviehouses and $2.2 million from 2,970 theaters, respectively.