Well, this is certainly a timely update on the latest Stephen Chow feature film, as the FIFA World Cup is taking over North America (games being played in Mexico, Canada, and the United States). Chow, a writer and director, got on many people’s radar with his fantastic and inventive 2001 sports action comedy “Shaolin Soccer,” which mixed VFX-heavy action sequences and comedic beats that would be doubled down with his equally beloved “Kung Fu Hustle,” and he’s now back with “Kung Fu Soccer.”
The action comedy, which is a China and Hong Kong co-production, “Kung Fu Soccer,” as mentioned in a report from Variety, “follows the Emei Women’s Football Team as it battles through the fictional ‘Supreme Invincible Cup’ tournament, blending martial arts with sport.” A cast assembled for the new Chow pic features Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang Yixing.
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We’re now expected to get theatrical access to the movie in the West, while in Mainland China, the film will be distributed by Maoyan Entertainment. Encore Films is going to oversee other territories outside of China, after previously spearheading the international release of the massive box office success and animated hit “Ne Zha 2.” The animated hit, which amassed a hefty $2.2 billion globally, was released domestically by A24.
“Director Stephen Chow is widely regarded as the ‘King of Comedy’ and one of the rare filmmakers whose work has entertained audiences across cultures for decades,” said Joyce Lee, the managing director of Encore Films, in an official statement. “Most football films ask, ‘Can they win the match?’ A Stephen Chow film asks, ‘Can they win the match while breaking the laws of physics?’ That’s the magic of ‘Kung Fu Soccer’ – a film that blends imagination, action, heart, and comedy in a way only Chow can.”
You might be aware that Chow’s more recent films have been decent-sized blockbusters in China, with “The Mermaid” earning an impressive $554 million, and his other fantastical effort “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” was also able to secure $206 million, so there is an expectation that “Kung Fu Soccer” could be another local crowd pleaser.
Only time will tell if action-comedy is going to be an effort from Chow that Western audiences embrace, as there is expectation that it will debut in theaters sometime this year as part of a push to mark the 25th Anniversary of “Shaolin Soccer.” In any case, stay tuned for further information on that front.
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
