Science Fiction Trilogy Planned for Hong Kong
April 2007
Hong Kong cinema, often defined by its gangster and action pictures, will have a rare treat of a new big-budget science fiction trilogy. New writer-director Daniel Chan is currently prepping for “Exodus”, the US$12.8 mn opening installment of the trilogy which is scheduled to start shooting in the territory towards year-end.The CGI-laden “Exodus” is set in a post-apocalyptic Hong Kong when the prosperous Island City treats the working class natives of Kowloon as slaves. The legend has it that a Kowloon native will lead an army that will defeat the Islanders and set the slaves free.
“This is Ten Commandments meets Blade Runner shot like 300,” says Chan. The 25-year-old Hong Kong-born filmmaker was raised in Australia where he made his first feature film Half Lit.
The special effects will be created by Dajoint’s Thomas Chou whose credits include “The Eye 10” and “Perhaps Love”. The dialogue will be mainly in English with some Cantonese.
The new picture will be mostly funded by new Singapore-US film financing company Upside Down Entertainment, a joint venture between Singapore’s production house Upside Down Concepts and Mark Byers’ Quixotic Media Group of the US which aims to bring western film financing strategies to Asia.
Before “Exodus”, Daniel Chan will direct “Jiang Hu Yi” this summer, a US$3.5 mn gangster epic backed by Mei Ah Entertainment and produced by veteran actor Eric Tsang. He is also attached as associate producer to Stanley Kwan’s upcoming project “The Green Mansion”.
“This is Ten Commandments meets Blade Runner shot like 300” does not instill me with much confidence that it will be plot driven, but if it delivers good action maybe that can be overlooked. The English language means they are going to be trying to get it distributed worldwide (like Naked Weapon was)
