Chow takes control of stock-market vehicle

Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow Sing-chi (周星馳) is to be handed the keys to his own stock-market listed company.

In documents filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Chow (there spelled Chiau) will become the largest shareholder in Emcom International, a loss-making telecoms and computer equipment supplier. Following a complicated series of connected transactions and convertible bond issues, Chow could raise his 14.6% stake in the company to over 35%. With a five year service contract and a seat on the board, Chow will subsequently change the company name to Bingo Group (比高集團有限公司).

Chow is selling his Raxco online games company to Emcom and entering a licensing agreement that will allow Emcom/Bingo to exploit merchandising and image rights to the upcoming animated version of CJ7 (長江七號 ). The film, a sequel of sorts to the 2008 hit starring and directed by Chow, is being produced by China Film Group (中國電影集團公司) and is set for completion this summer.

Thereafter, Bingo aims to produce and finance films, especially animated ones, that will lead to merchandising, game and licensing opportunities, especially in China.

The official documents are amusingly dry. They describe “Mr. Chiau, aged 47, [as having] over 20 years of performance and management experience in the movie industry. Mr. Chiau has been a leading icon of the movie and entertainment industry in the Greater China Region for over 20 years, and had received numerous awards in the industry, including best supporting actor, best actor and best director awards presented by leading film academies.”

There was no information updating recent gossip about Chow possibly starring in a $60 million US movie called Tai Chi alongside Jack Black and Anne Hathaway.

According to unsourced reports, the project, based on Bruce Lee vehicle Way Of The Dragon, is one that had previously been put into turnaround by Columbia Pictures. It would see Chow star as an immigrant dishwasher who fights discrimination. Chow’s unlisted Star Overseas Group (星輝海外有限公司) last week told Film Business Asia that it did not know of the project. Chow’s US agents have not responded to email requests for information.