Hong Kong and mainland China sellers return with projects that include the sequel to box-office smash ‘Table For Six’ and the latest from superstar Donnie Yen.
Boonie Bears: Time Twist
Dir Huida Lin
The 10th theatrical feature in the hit animation franchise follows Boonie Bears: Guardian Code, which took more than $222m at the Chinese box office on release earlier this year. The latest instalment sees the bears on an adventure through time as they encounter several characters from earlier films. Director Lin has helmed four features in the series, including 2022’s Boonie Bears: Back To Earth. A local release is planned for February 7, 2024, to coincide with Chinese New Year.
Contact Daniel Bort, Fantawild
Fight For Tomorrow
Dir Chan Tai Lee
A gang leader reunites with his son and bounces back from adversity in this action drama. The cast is led by Patrick Tam of Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy and Breakout Brothers, while the son is played by Locker Lam, whose credits include Weeds On Fire, P Storm and Zero To Hero. It marks the third feature as a filmmaker for Chan, who is known as a writer on the hit Ip Man franchise and directed Tomorrow Is Another Day and Fierce Cop. Produced by Edmond Wong, Fight For Tomorrow is in post-production for delivery in 2024.
Contact Mandarin Motion Pictures
Love At First Lie
Dir Patrick Kong
This romantic drama follows a wealthy young man who enlists the help of a humble woman to disrupt his father’s wedding, with the two falling for each other in the process. The cast includes rising star Mandy Tam, Taiwan’s Edward Chen, who received a Golden Horse nomination for his role in 2020 box-office hit Your Name Engraved Herein, and Leung Chung-Hang, star of Hong Kong’s 2021 Oscar submission Zero To Hero. Writer, director and producer Kong is known for romantic comedies that include Marriage With A Fool, Love Is Not All Around and Anniversary. Love At First Lie is in post-production with a release planned in early 2024.
Contact Vanessa Lo, Media Asia
The Lyricist Wannabe
Dir Norris Wong
This drama centres on a high-school student with frustrated ambitions to become a songwriter. It marks the anticipated second feature from writer/director Wong, who won a string of awards for her 2019 debut My Prince Edward. The Lyricist Wannabe’s cast includes Chung Suet-ying, Eric Kot, Anson Chan, Sabrina Ng and Tang Lai-ying. It is produced by Wong Hoi, who directed and co-wrote (with Norris Wong) the 2022 comedy horror Let It Ghost. Despite not being released until early 2024, the film has picked up two Golden Horse Awards nominations for Norris’s adapted screenplay and for Chung as leading actress.
Contact Jason Ieong, Edko Films
Misjudgement
Dirs Mak Ho-pong, Terry Ng
Superstar Donnie Yen leads this courtroom drama, based on a true case in Hong Kong. It centres on a young man wrongfully charged with drug trafficking. Yen, star of the Ip Man franchise and recently seen in John Wick: Chapter 4, plays the prosecutor who risks everything to bring the real culprit to justice. It is directed by Mak, whose credits include horror film The Lingering and the Breakout Brothers action franchise, and Ng of the Storm franchise spinoff series. Yen produces alongside veteran Raymond Wong and the film to set to be delivered in Q3 of 2024.
Contact Mandarin Motion Pictures
The Moon Thieves
Dir Yuen Kim Wai
Members of Hong Kong boy band Mirror star in this action-adventure feature. It follows a counterfeit watchmaker who is forced to take part in a heist in Tokyo, but each of his fellow thieves seems to harbour ulterior motives. The film stars Anson Lo and Edan Lui with a special appearance from their Mirror bandmate Keung To. Director Yuen is known for mystery thriller Legally Declared Dead and drama Heaven In The Dark. The Moon Thieves is in post ahead of a 2024 Chinese New Year release.
Contact Miriam Cheung, Emperor Motion Pictures
Table For Six 2
Dir Sunny Chan
This is the sequel to ensemble family comedy Table For Six, which became the third-highest-grossing Chinese-language film in Hong Kong on release in 2022. The story revolves around three weddings and how a family of aunts, uncles and cousins all get involved with the nuptials. Writer/director Chan reunites with the original cast that includes Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung Kai Chung, Ivana Wong, Lin Min Chen and Peter Chan Charm Man. Acclaimed producers Bill Kong, Ivy Ho and Tang Wai But also return. The film is in production ahead of a planned release in early 2024.
Contact Jason Ieong, Edko Films
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