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EXCLUSIVE: The Weinstein Company has closed a deal for United Kingdom and Australian distribution rights to The Grandmasters, the Wong Kar-wai-directed Chinese language martial arts film. Harvey Weinstein is among a small group vying for domestic rights, with Fox Searchlight and Sony Pictures Classics also in the mix. TWC’s investment was north of $1 million for the offshore rights. Buyers were shown about 15 minutes of expertly choreographed martial arts footage, and also were given a 5-page synopsis of the film. Distributors are going on faith that the director’s vision holds together in a cohesive story. The film is the life story of the martial artist Ip Man, and Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen are in the cast. CAA is repping The Grandmasters.
The Grandmasters was one of the hottest titles to be shown to buyers at Berlin, where Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Productions became an investor in the film for a rumored $3 million. The other title that has buyers reaching for their wallets is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, the Tomas Alfredson-directed adaptation of the John Le Carre thriller that stars Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. Both Oldman and Hardy next star in The Dark Knight Rises.
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Donnie Yen just did an Ip Man movie in 2008. WTF?
My thoughts exactly!
you can’t go wrong with wong kar wai.
Exactly. His movie is always original and stylish. I am his biggest fan.
I particularly like his Chungking Express, Happy Together, In the Mood for Love, and Ashes of Time.
Tony Leung Chiu Wai is also immensely talented.
2046 is also superb.
“Distributors are going on faith that the director’s vision holds together in a cohesive story.” LOL…..I guess they’ve never seen a Wong Kar Wai movie. If Harvey wins the bidding, I expect him to take the scissors to what Wong Kar Wai delivers to make it more palpable to dumb American audiences.
“Grandmasters”… Check mate!
We read, “Buyers were shown about 15 minutes of expertly choreographed martial arts footage…”.
Weinstein sure knows his martial arts choreo.
Just what the world needs now-MORE expertly choreographed martial arts.
Cause I don’t know about you, but NOTHING irks me more than poorly choreographed fights. I’m fine with the bloodshed & mayhem. It’s the choreography that gets me.
And hey, the Far east has nothing on us when it comes to “expertly choreographed martial arts footage”.
Remember “West Side Story”.
Hell, the tough guys actually prepared for battle doing ballet moves.
Scared the shit out of their opponents.
So, yea, Weinstein, bring us some more eagerly waited, expertly choreographed martial arts footage. Maybe you can play the “Jets” theme song.
Considering Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is easily one of the best actors working in the world, today, the film could be about perfecting the technique of ironing shirts, for all I care, he’ll elevate it to fine art. The fact that he’s playing Ip Man, though, makes this a must-see for me. I’m not expecting anything like “Ip Man” from Wong Kar-Wai, and hope people’s expectations don’t hurt Wong and Leung’s reputation when the film turns out to be something different than the film Donnie Yen starred in.