| First rumored in: August 2004
Status: In development. Starts shooting in 2006.
Who's making it: Terence Chang's Lion Rock Prods. and Beijing's
Poly Asia-Union.
Director: John Woo
Written by:
Producers:
Budget: US$36 million.
Genre: Historical Drama
Language: Mandarin?
Based on: a chapter in the popular novel "Romance
of the Three Kingdoms."
Cast:
- Chow Yun-Fat ............. Liu Bei
Who is Liu Bei?
 Liu
Bei (161-223)
Liu Bei, commonly called Liu Xuande, was a descendant of Prince
Zhongshanjing. Liu Bei was born in Hebei Province. Started his
life as a shoemaker and a weaver of mats, he made his name against
the Yellow Turban Uprising and fought in wars all around China,
finally becoming the first emperor of Shu.
Liu Bei was noted for his loyalty to friends and his respect
to the talents. He met Guanyu and Zhangfei and became sworn brothers
at the Peach Garden and vowed to combine their strengths and efforts
to restore peace and order to the country. Another much-told story
said that he ever paid three visits to the home of Zhuge Liang,
one of the most resourceful men in history. In the end, with sincerity
and persuasion from Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang gave up his seclusion
and spent the rest of his life assisting the Shu rulers to govern
the Kingdom.
In 208 AD, Liu Bei adopted the suggestion of Zhuge Liang and
carried out a joint military action with the Wu Kingdom against
the attacks of the powerful Wei Kingdom. The alliance had the
final victory. And further on, Liu Bei occupied the vast land
in present Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces and thus reinforced the
regime of Shu.
In 221 AD, Liu Bei crowned himself the King of Shu in present
Chengdu City. The next year, he broke the alliance treaty and
commanded the army downstream the Yangtze River to attack the
Wu Kingdom. However, the Shu army lost the battle. On the way
of their retreat, Liu Bei died at Baidicheng, in present Chongqing
City.
Source: TravelChinaGuide.com, All rights reserved.
Image courtesy of Kongming.net
Link:
Latest Development:
- 7 December 2004
JOHN WOO'S STAR WISHLIST FOR BATLLE OF RED CLIFF
BEIJING-- The upcoming historical drama Battle of Red Cliff
is by John Woo's most ambitious so far, China Radio International
reported on Wednesday.
It will be based on one part of classic Chinese novel Romance
Of The Three Kingdom. It will depict the battle fought with
over one million men in 208 AD.
During the battle the joint force of two warlords Sun Quan
and Liu Bei defeated the much stronger invading army led by
warlord Cao Cao. Shortly after the battle, the Han dynasty
officially ended and China split to three kingdoms.
According to Chinese newspaper Chinese Businessmen, the Beijing
based Asian Union Film and Media, which is co-producing the
project with John Woo's Lion Rock Production, has a wish list
for the stars it wants.
Chow Yun-Fat to play Liu Bei; Jet Li to play Zhou Yu, the
favorite general of Sun Quan; Tonny Leung to play Zhuge Liang,
the top advisor to Liu Bei; Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi to play
the Qiao Sisters (the elder sister was married to Sun Quan
and the younger sister was married to Zhou Yu).
Source: Xinhuanet, thanks to Kowlooncity!
- 7 December 2004
BEIJING-- The upcoming historical drama Battle of Red Cliff
is by John Woo's most ambitious so far, China Radio International
reported on Wednesday.
It will be based on one part of classic Chinese novel Romance
Of The Three Kingdom. It will depict the battle fought with
over one million men in 208 AD.
During the battle the joint force of two warlords Sun Quan
and Liu Bei defeated the much stronger invading army led by
warlord Cao Cao. Shortly after the battle, the Han dynasty
officially ended and China split to three kingdoms.
According to Chinese newspaper Chinese Businessmen, the
Beijing based Asian Union Film and Media, which is co-producing
the project with John Woo's Lion Rock Production, has a wish
list for the stars it wants.
Chow Yun-Fat to play Liu Bei; Jet Li to play Zhou Yu, the
favorite general of Sun Quan; Tonny Leung to play Zhuge Liang,
the top advisor to Liu Bei; Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi to play
the Qiao Sisters (the elder sister was married to Sun Quan
and the younger sister was married to Zhou Yu).
Source: Xinhuanet, thanks to Kowlooncity!
- 3 October 2004
RUMOR ALERT: "CROUCHING
TIGER " HERO SAYS NO TO JOHN WOO
Today: BEIJING (xinhuanet) - Celebrated Hong Kong actor Chow
Yun-fat has turned down a role in War of Red Cliff to be directed
by John Woo, according to CRIENGLISH.com.
The 49-year old veteran actor, who shot to fame for his
role in the Oscar winning film "Crouhing Tiger, Hidden
Dragon" in 2000, turned down the leading role of the
King of Shu, Liu Bei.
With a cost of 300 million yuan, or over 36 million US dollars,
the epic movie, which is about events that took place during
the Three Kingdoms period more than 1,700 years ago, has started
shooting in Beijing (isn't it supposed to start production
in 2006? - ed.)
Hong Kong action star Jet Lee and Chinese mainland actors
Chen Daoming and Jiang Wen are expected to give new life to
this epic saga.
Many stars from Japan and South Korea will also be included
in the line-up.
- 21 September 2004:
JOHN WOO PREPARES BATTLEFIELD FOR "WAR OF RED CLIFF"
Terence Chang and John Woo in BeijingBEIJING - World-renowned Hong Kong director John Woo has
arrived in Beijing to prepare the battlefield of the "War
of Red Cliff" for the big screen with 50 million US dollars,
according to CRIENGLISH.com.
The Hong Kong action director wants to reach consensus on
the script with the three playwrights. He has long dreamed
of shooting this film, which about events that took place
during the Three Kingdoms period more than 1,700 years ago.
Celebrated Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat, Kong Fu star Jet
Lee, and Chen Daoming and Jiang Wen from the Chinese mainland
are expected to team up with John Woo to give new life to
this epic saga.
The movie will start shooting next year.
Source: Xinhuanet/Crienglish.com
- 16 August 2004 :
WOO-CHOW POWWOW - WAR OF THE RED CLIFF TO BEGIN PRODUCTION
IN 2006.
John Woo is developing his first Chinese-language film in
more than a decade, "The War of the Red Cliff."
Chow Yun-Fat has been offered the starring role.
Teaming of Woo and Chow would be their first since the 1992
classic "Hard-Boiled." Production would begin in
2006.
Woo and Terence Chang's Lion Rock Prods. has partnered with
Beijing's Poly Asia-Union ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon")
to produce the picture.
Chang negotiated the deal in Beijing earlier this month.
"The War of the Red Cliff" is based on historical
events that took place in China 1,700 years ago and on a chapter
in the popular novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."
Some 600 years after its publication, the book is still widely
read in China.
If completed as planned, "The War of the Red Cliff"
would become the most expensive film in mainland Chinese cinema
history, with a budget of about $36 million. (The current
record holder is Zhang Yimou's $30 million "Hero";
Miramax Films will release that film in the U.S. Friday.)
The project has cleared the first phase of Chinese censorship
approval and received a production license from the Film Bureau,
the administrative body that oversees film production and
distribution.
- 10 August 2004 :
JOHN WOO'S "THE BATTLE OF THE RED WALL"
Apple Daily: John Woo has aspired to shoot the movie which can
express Chinese culture and romance for ten years. Recently,
he has obtained the investment from two big companies from China
and the USA, so his desire can be realized finally. The movie
is ahistorical romance based on "The Battle of Red Wall",
it is a part of "The Romance of The Three Kingdoms".
A lot of Asian actors will be called for the big project, Woo
has always longed for CYF to appear in this film as Liu Bei.
However, CYF hopes to gt the role of Zhuge Liang rather than
Liu Bei.
- 10 August 2004 :
JOHN WOO BATTLE-READY FOR "THE WAR of RED CLIFF"
China View: World-renowned Hong Kong director John Woo has
decided to move the battlefield of the "War of Red Cliff"
to the big screen, with a cost of 300 million yuan, or over
US$36 million.
He has long dreamed of shooting the film which took place
during the Three Kingdoms period more than 1700 years ago,
and he finally found a cooperating media last week. The epic
movie will formally start shooting next year.
Celebrated Hong Kong film star Chow Yun-fat will play the
leading role as the King of Shu, Liu Bei, and many shining
stars from Japan and South Korea will also be included in
the line-up.
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