Universal boards Reeves' Man of Tai Chi
By Patrick Frater
Thu, 15 December 2011, 10:04 AM (HKT)
Hollywood studio Universal Pictures Inc has come on board as international distributor and co-financier of the Chinese language film Man of Tai Chi 太極俠 that will mark the directorial debut of Keanu REEVES.
The film is being co-produced by Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Asia, China Film Group Corporation 中國電影集團公司 and Wanda Media Co Ltd 萬達影視傳媒有限公司.
It is expected to shoot from February in Beijing, with production travelling from the mainland to Hong Kong and Macau.
Village Roadshow and its related companies will release the film in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. China will be handled by CFG and Wanda, while Universal handles distribution in the rest of the world.
"The opportunity to get further involved in the Chinese market and to bring Chinese films to audiences around the world is important to Universal," said David KOSSE, president of Universal International, in a statement.
Reeves will also appear in front of the camera, though the star will be Tiger CHEN 陳虎, a martial artist who previously worked on The Matrix with both Reeves and Village Roadshow.
The contemporary, Beijing-set story is the "spiritual journey of a young martial artist (Tiger Chen), whose fighting skills brings him to a realm opportunities and painful choices."
Reeves recently completed filming in the UK of 47 Ronin, an English-language, Japanese film that Universal will also handle.