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'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Sequel Starting Production in May
by Ben Pearson
January 25, 2013
Get ready for some more high-flying martial arts action, because Deadline reports that The Weinstein Company are putting a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel into production in May of this year. Ronny Yu, who directed thirteen Chinese films before churning out American duds like Freddy vs. Jason and Bride of Chucky, is set to direct, while writer John Fusco (Hidalgo, The Forbidden Kingdom) will write the screenplay with Harvey Weinstein producing. None of the cast from the original has signed to return yet, but at least one major character should be back if they stick to the source material. More below!
Crouching Tiger was based on the fourth book in the Crane Iron Pentalogy, and this new film will be based on Silver Vase, Iron Knight, the fifth book in the series. Ang Lee is reportedly not going to be involved in any way, but the story here follows Michelle Yeoh's character Yu Shu Lien from the first movie, so chances are looking good that she'll return. But it sounds like we'll also see some new faces, too. Here's what Fusco told Deadline:
"This introduces a new generation of star-crossed lovers, and a new series of antagonists in a battle of good and evil…There is an alternate universe in the books, a martial forest that exists alongside the real world, full of wandering sword fighters, medicine men, defrocked priests, poets, sorcerers and Shaolin renegades. It’s so vast and rich, and I found characters from the second and third books in the series to create a most interesting stew while being as true to the source material as I could be.”
Weinstein is obviously a savvy businessman, so he must realize he'll make a boatload of cash overseas with this sequel even if it doesn't perform well here in the States. Plus, Fusco seems confident that fight choreographer Woo Ping Yuen will return for Silver Vase, Iron Knight, and his inventive work on the first movie was a huge part of what made that film a pop culture touchstone. I think Yuen coming back is our only hope of this actually turning out well, so I'm hoping the 68-year-old legend is up for the task. Casting starts after Yu signs on the dotted line, and production starts in May with a $20 million budget. Stay tuned.
15 Comments
1
Hey, say what you want about the horror genre...but Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs Jason were both thoroughly entertaining. They gave you what you were looking for, while at the same time managing to make tried concepts feel fresh. Beyond that, I'm pretty sure both films were quite financially successful.
Chris Groves on Jan 25, 2013
2
Absolutely. I loved both of those.
grimjob on Jan 25, 2013
3
likewise. FvJ was certainly a heck of alot better than the lackluster Nightmare on Elm Street remake, that's for sure. Bride of Chucky was just silly and fun (time for a rewatch)
syntaxterror on Jan 25, 2013
4
Lackluster is definitely a fitting description for it. FvJ was a damn good time. I remember in the theater, which was packed btw, you could tell the Freddy fans from the Jason fans when they started beating the shit out of each other. Lots of cheering and booing, but everyone was having a great time. That was definitely some of the most fun I've ever had at a theater, and certainly one of the most memorable viewings. You a Freddy or Jason man? Love them both, Robert Englund is the shit, but I've always preferred Mr. Voorhees.
grimjob on Jan 25, 2013
5
Freddy all the way. I am a dream warrior, my friend
syntaxterror on Jan 25, 2013
6
Nice. My best friend is too, makes for some interesting conversation.
grimjob on Jan 26, 2013
7
I was a fan of Jason Voorhees first...so he gets my vote. Huge fan of them both though.
Chris Groves on Jan 25, 2013
8
Oh yeah, same here.
grimjob on Jan 26, 2013
9
I find it fascinating that an amazing film like Crouching Tiger can be made on a budget of 17M and this has a budget of 20M. Yet so many horrible Hollywood movies have such ridiculously inflated, over the top budgets. Why is that?
Adam Collins on Jan 25, 2013
10
Have you ever heard the saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" or "mo money mo problems"? Money doesn't fix stupid. I think what really happens in these extreme cases, SUPERMAN RETURNS, GREEN LANTERN, etc., etc., is that hubris gets the better of the people involved in the production of the films. Too many people think they know more than they do. Funny how the two examples I listed off the top of my head were comic book adaptations...makes you think...
DAVIDPD on Jan 25, 2013
11
yeah, and movies with lots of CGI are often very expensive to produce.
Oliver Jeppe on Jan 26, 2013
13
Crouching Tiger was my first real introduction to how awesome foreign movies could be, so I'll be looking forward to see watch Yu can do with this sequel though I don't think he can live up to what Ang Lee did with the original.
syntaxterror on Jan 25, 2013
14
I had a similar experience, "syntaxterror" .... I saw Crouching Tiger in the theater and it was my introduction to Asian cinema. Now I drive my coworker Maria up the wall telling her about the latest subtitled movie I watched. 🙂
Edward Curtis on Jan 25, 2013
15
I thought the first one was boring ass hell, and dancin around on trees with no gravity wasn't groundbreakin to me, i remember buying this an just being dissappointed all around. Too much wire work took away from takin this movie serious. Jmo
Christopher Philip Cinquegrano on Jan 25, 2013
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