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John Woo casts THE BATTLE OF RED CLIFF

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Friday, September 01, 2006
Source: Variety

John Woo has signed Chow Yun-Fat, Ken Watanabe, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Taiwanese supermodel Lin Chi-Ling to star in his upcoming film THE BATTLE OF RED CLIFF.

The film is set in the final days of the Han Dynasty in the year 208 and covers the war that established the Three Kingdoms period, when China had three rulers. Historians reckon 1 million soldiers took part in the original battle of Red Cliff.

Filming is scheduled to start sometime in March from a screenplay by Wang Hui-ling (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The film is aiming for a release in the runup to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

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Comments/Responses

• Sep 01, 2006, 05:35am •

Wow, that list of actors is like having Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Harrison Ford, Russell Crowe, and George Clooney in one flick. This should be pretty cool. I really like John Woo flicks. More his earlier one, but he`s still cool.

• Sep 01, 2006, 05:40am •

WOW. How hard is this film gonna ROCK!!! Just a quick note to Mr. Woo: No wimpy PG-13 rating on this. Lots of blood and gore.

Think Chow will carry two swords?

• Sep 01, 2006, 07:33am •

yeah, and there will be a church and plenty of doves to go around.

smegforbrain • Sep 01, 2006, 07:51am •

Awhile back there was an article about upcoming Woo projects, but no mention of this film, and I had mentioned that this one seemed like Battle of Red Cliffs was finally getting off the ground.

And while I like the actors he's cast (well, those who's names I recognize), I worry that this film will be all 'star' power and not much else. I wonder who each of these guys is going to play.

• Sep 01, 2006, 08:35am •

Glad to see Chow Yun Fat getting back with Woo and with Watanabe, Leung.Like smegforbrain I'm concerned about too much stars but as long as an American production company doesn't get its hands on it and dumbs it down or throws a hip hop track into it then I've got plenty of hope.

nikodemos • Sep 01, 2006, 08:47am •

Chow-Yun Fat and Ken Watanabe rock.

samson7842 • Sep 01, 2006, 01:13pm •

No hIp-Hop track would not bother me. But i'd better not hear some candy assed. Pop rock track playing either. It should be nothing but orchestra. But, of course I don't think too many people on this site would complain about a Pop rock single for the sound track. 'Cause as we all know, Hip-Hop is only for "gansta" and other "hood" tpye films. It couldn't truly show any real depth of emotion like a whiny, insecure, rock singer complaining about his pathetic lack of direction. Just a thought.

almostunbiased • Sep 01, 2006, 03:01pm •

Woo SUCKS.

muchdrama • Sep 01, 2006, 03:05pm •

Woo hasn't directed anything of importance or relevance in a LONG time...and even this movie's description doesn't do anything for me. Bah.

• Sep 01, 2006, 07:58pm •

I hope this sticks. Woo has been rumoured to be involved with a great many film projects, including the "Metroid" movie, the "Spy Hunter" movie, and the "He-Man" movie, but "The Battle of Red Cliff" is the project I was really hoping he would do. The idea of John Woo directing a movie about a major battle during China�s Three Kingdoms period as well as working with Chow Yun-Fat again is incredibly exciting. I just hope it works out.

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