The shooting finally started on John Woo's long-anticipated new
big budget epic, Battle of Red Cliff, on Saturday in
Zhuozhou, north China's Hebei Province.
The domestically acclaimed actor Zhang Fengyi will star as
historic legend Cao Cao, and was the only member of the cast in
attendance at the official launch ceremony.
The absent cast members included Chow Yun-Fat, Takeshi
Kaneshiro, and Chiling Lin. Talk circulated that Chow Yun-Fat, cast
as the major character Zhou Yu, was abandoned by the film crew due
to the reportedly unreasonable high payment he asked for.
Director John Woo said the stars would join the entourage in the
coming week.
The costumes for the ancient epic were also unveiled on
Saturday. The art director is Ye Jintian, who worked as the art
director for Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. He
said the film will have a romantic visual style.
The film has managed to gather a heavy investment of US$75
million.
It is slated to premiere next year. Earlier reports said two
different versions will be released, one for Asian audiences and
one for people outside the region.
Battle of Red
Cliff director John Woo (right)
and producer Han Sanping (left) at the ceremony to launch the start
of the film shoot in Zhuozhou in north China's Hebei Province on
Saturday, April 14, 2007.?
?
One of the members of the
cast for Battle of Red Cliff. Shooting for the film
started in Zhuozhou in north China's Hebei Province after the
ceremony on April 14, 2007.
(CRI.cn April 15, 2007)
