TV Movies To Premiere Same Day On China Movie Channel In China And Across Asia On HBO And RED BY HBO.
Click hyperlink for trailer and images of “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So”
Click hyperlink for trailer and images of “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”
SINGAPORE, OCTOBER 17, 2016 – The premiere dates of the inaugural HBO Asia Original anthology of martial arts action TV movies co-produced with China Movie Channel (CMC) were announced today. Both movies will premiere on the same day during primetime across Asia on HBO and RED BY HBO and in China on CMC’s premium subscription channel, CHC. “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So” premieres at primetime this December 25 while “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying” will debut a day later on December 26. This is the first time a China co-production movie will premiere on the same day in China as well as across the region. Both movies will also be available on HBO GO and HBO ON DEMAND in Asia, as well as on CCTV6 in China at a later date.
HBO Asia will be distributing1 the movies which were executive produced by Hong Kong action director, Corey Yuen (The Transporter, X-Men) outside of China while CMC handles distribution within the mainland. The trailers for both TV movies, which boast a cast of Chinese actors professionally trained in mixed martial arts, kung fu and muay thai, were revealed today.
The action-packed movies are set in ancient China at the end of the Qing dynasty. Shot in Chinese language in Hengdian, China, the movies will be dubbed in English with local language subtitles when they premiere in Asia on HBO. Concurrently, both movies will also debut at the same time on RED BY HBO in its original language with English subtitles. Both movies will air in original language in China.
The two TV movies were directed by Guo Jian-yong (国建勇) who specialises in martial arts movies and has choreographed the action sequences for Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), The Twins Effect II (2004), Red Cliff (2007) and Transporter I, II and III (2001; 2005; 2008).
The first movie in the anthology, “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So”, stars Cao Jun (曹骏) [Lotus Lantern (宝莲灯); Magic Mobile Phone (魔幻手机)] as Beggar So Chan (苏乞儿). Due to a conspiracy, wealthy So Chan loses everything but is saved by the Beggars’ Sect. He learns the long lost martial art – Drunken Fist, to defeat the person who framed him.
Sun Hao-ran (孙浩然) [God of War, Zhao Yun (武神赵子龙)] stars in the titular role of Wong Kei-ying (黄麒英). A physician, he learns the legendary martial art – Shadowless Kick – to take down the ruthless and treacherous new governor of Canton in “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”.
Both movies were written by a team of writers from China, while award-winning Singaporean screenwriter, Koh Teng Liang, contributed to the screenplay of “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”.
These two anthology TV movies are one of four HBO Asia Original productions this year. The others include HBO Asia’s first returnable series HALFWORLDS Season 2 and HBO Asia’s first Taiwanese co-production, THE PSYCHIC.
1 For sales enquiries, please contact BeiBei Fan at beibei.fan@hboasia.com or call +65 6288 6303.
About HBO ASIA
Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia with six 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Cinemax, as well as Red by HBO, internet streaming platform, HBO GO, subscription video on demand service, HBO On Demand, and in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang). HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.
About China Movie Channel (CMC)
China Movie Channel (CMC) is a media organisation directly subordinate to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of P. R. China (SAPPRFT). Established in 1995, its services cover a wide range of areas, including broadcasting, content production, print media and new media. CMC’s flagship channel CCTV-6 is the only national movie network in China reaching over 1.09 billion people through basic subscription. CMC also offers 3 premium subscription channels, CHC Family, CHC Action and CHC HD, and has more than 2.8 million subscribers. CMC Channels have exclusive deals with all major Hollywood studios and over 95% of all Chinese movies and exclusive licensing deals with other European and Asian distributors. CMC is also the exclusive Chinese broadcaster for major international awards such as the Oscars®, Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globes. CMC’s streaming site 1905.com is one of the top film streaming websites in China.
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Karen Lai | Communications Director | HBO Asia
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