July 07, 2009
Min Lee, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Canadian Press, 2009HONG KONG – “Mission: Impossible II” director John Woo’s next movie will tell the story of the Flying Tigers – volunteer American pilots who defended China from Japanese attacks during the Second World War – his producer said Tuesday.
Woo plans to start shooting late this year, with most of the filming to take place next year, producer Terence Chang told The Associated Press in a phone interview. The project will be a collaboration with the government of southwestern Yunnan province, where some of the volunteer pilots were based, Chang said.
“The director hasn’t shot anything in a long time. He’s eager to film again,” he said. Woo’s last project was the US$80 million Chinese-language historical epic “Red Cliff,” whose two instalments were released last July and January.
Chang said Woo’s new film will be “very expensive” but declined to reveal the exact budget because the script hasn’t been finalized. He said he hasn’t secured funding for the movie yet.
The movie will feature U.S. Army Gen. Claire Chennault, the leader of the Flying Tigers, but also focus on the entire team of pilots that was credited with destroying 296 Japanese aircraft during seven months between 1941 and 1942, Chang said.
Woo’s next film was supposed to be “1949,” a romance set against the Chinese civil war of that year, but the project fell through because of a dispute with its Taiwanese investors.
Woo made his name in Hong Kong with stylish action thrillers like “A Better Tomorrow” and “Hard-Boiled” before moving to Hollywood, where his credits include “Broken Arrow,” Face/Off” and “Mission: Impossible II.” He returned to Chinese film last year with “Red Cliff.””
Chang also revealed details about another earlier announced project that Woo will supervise. He said the $10 million kung fu film called “The Sword and Jianghu” will star former Bond girl Michelle Yeoh and South Korean actor Jung Woo-sung.
That Chinese-language movie, which Taiwanese director Su Chao-pin will start shooting in Shanghai in October, is about the son of a Ming dynasty official who unwittingly falls in love with a female contract killer who murdered his father.
The Internet Movie Database does have an “in development” listing under Woo for “Flying Tiger Heroes”….
By: Mark V - 10th July 2009 at 15:30
It will be interesting to see how the combination of live aircraft and CGI in Red Tails turns out – probably not being released until early 2010 though.
By: BSG-75 - 10th July 2009 at 13:30
I’d like to think that Woo would use some real metal in the film, rather than CGI, but I won’t hold my breath.
I have mixed feelings, the technology for CGI improves every day and if its used to help tell a story (IMO Peter Jackson does this very well) instead of dictating what story you are telling (IMO, George Lucus with his remakes and re-super-editions) it opens the door wide. I admit, we all have a good idea of what a Tomahawk, Lancaster, F-4U looks like and I have no idea what a real Golom would look like (Well, maybe William Hauge?:diablo:) so its easier to judge, but I liked what I saw in Flags Of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima and stil think that if used and applied to the notion of telling the story, we could see some crackers in the coming years.
By: DazDaMan - 10th July 2009 at 12:04
The earlier version starring John Wayne was on TV a couple of weeks ago.
I was trying to make out what the Chinese transport that the ‘Tigers used as a bomber at the end of the film. It seemed to be somewhere between DC3 and Beech 18 in size, the two engines were set high on the wings and had a curious three-fin, biplane tail. Although the flying shots were obviously a model the ground shots looked like either a real (or based on a real) aeroplane – unlike the wooden “P-40s”
Roger Smith.
Should I be embarassed to say that used to be one of my favourite films when I was younger? 😮
As for the transport – I think this is it:
By: RPSmith - 10th July 2009 at 11:57
The earlier version starring John Wayne was on TV a couple of weeks ago.
I was trying to make out what the Chinese transport that the ‘Tigers used as a bomber at the end of the film. It seemed to be somewhere between DC3 and Beech 18 in size, the two engines were set high on the wings and had a curious three-fin, biplane tail. Although the flying shots were obviously a model the ground shots looked like either a real (or based on a real) aeroplane – unlike the wooden “P-40s”
Roger Smith.
By: DazDaMan - 10th July 2009 at 11:49
I’d like to think that Woo would use some real metal in the film, rather than CGI, but I won’t hold my breath.
Anyone remember his war film Windtalkers?? I recall going to see it at the cinema, and there being (CGI?) Hellcats in one scene, but that’s about all! 😮
By: BSG-75 - 10th July 2009 at 10:41
It’s definitely a story to tell and worth telling in film I think, it will be interesting to see how it pans out, pure action film or benevolent Americans joining the war early etc?
Plus P-40’s (or Curtiss type 82 etc ?) with nose guns, nice looking in their own right so I’ll keep an eye out for this with interest.
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July 10, 2009 at 9:14 am