Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP) has acquired international rights, including the US and Hong Kong, to Tsui Hark’s upcoming martial arts film Legends Of The Condor Heroes: The Gallants, following the studio’s recent success with Yolo.
The Chinese-language film is set for release in mainland China cinemas on January 29, the first day of Chinese New Year through China Film Group.
SPIP will release it on the same day in Hong Kong, followed by Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand on February 20, the US on February 21 and Indonesia on February 26.
The film is adapted from the novel of the same name by the late Louis Cha (aka Jin Yong). His The Legend Of The Condor Heroes series has sold more than 300 million copies worldwide.
Set in China’s Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the film focuses on the story of Guo Jing, and how he grew up into a martial arts master to become a national hero, demonstrating the unique charm of Chinese martial arts. The cast is led by Xiao Zhan and Zhuang Dafei.
China Film Group, Lianray Pictures and HG Entertainment are among the major investors.
At press time, the film is leading the Chinese New Year box office in mainland China with advance ticket sales of almost $41.4m (RMB300m), including $16.1m (RMB117m) on opening day (January 29), according to real-time box-office data from online ticketing platform Maoyan.
Chinese New Year is always intensely competitive, with six high-profile local releases hitting cinemas on the same day this year.
Jia Ling’s Yolo, which SPIP picked up previously for international release, was a Chinese New Year title and China’s highest grossing film of 2024. SPIP is the local-language production arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group
Tsui is one of the iconic directors of the Hong Kong New Wave of the 1980s. His recent works include blockbuster hits The Battle at Lake Changjin, Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back and Detective Dee film series.
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