'xXx: RETURN OF XANDER OF CAGE' LA Screening (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese moviegoers have become more discerning when it comes to local and foreign films offered to them. A pretty or handsome face is no longer enough reason for them to go to the cinema and spend hard-earned money.
One local actor who would face the acid test of fan acceptance in a serious movie is Kris Wu, the lead star of Stephen Chow’s upcoming film “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2.” Slated to be show on Jan. 28, the first day of the Spring Festival, Stephen Chow had to defend his casting Kris Wu in the lead role.
Emotionless Performance?
While female fans would shriek at the sight of Kris Wu, it is a different case for film critics who have found the young actor’s acting as emotionless performance. In choosing Kris Wu, Stephen Chow said the young actor fitted his vision of the protagonist in the movie based on a 16th century novel “Journey to the West” – Buddhist monk Tang Seng, China Daily reported.
“I can imagine a hair-shaved Wu is definitely the person that I want for Tang Seng. He should be pure, and also be smart. And there should be a big difference between what he looks like and what he is. Wu meets the demands in every aspect,” Stephen Chow said.
Kris Wu Sings Theme Song
To promote the film, which also stars Wang Likun, Bao Bei’er, Lin Yun, Yao Chen and Lix Gengxin, the movie’s theme song, “Guai Guai” (Behaved), was released on Dec. 20 in Beijing. Kris Wu and Tan Jing, a veteran singer, sang the movie theme song.
Stephen Chow is the producer of the sequel, while the movie was directed by Tsui Hark. The film was financed and produced by Star Overseas, owned by Chow, and Alibaba Pictures Group. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sony has the distribution rights to “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2” in the U.S., New Zealand, U.S., Australia and Canada, and 10 countries in Asia outside China.
