Hong Kong comic’s godfather Wong Yuk Long and famous cartoonist Ma Wing Shing attended the Hong Kong Animation Festival held in Shanghai, they also made a secret trip to a certain Online gaming company to negotiate the shooting of the first 3D wuxia film. The film will be adapted from Wong Yuk Long’s 3D online game Weapons of the Gods, it would be finance by the online gaming company and other companies, Tsui Hark will be invited to direct the film. Tsui will be able to collaborate with Andy Lau again as he was selected to be the male lead, Nicholas Tse and Charlene Choi will be invited to be the second male lead and female lead respectively.

Online game Weapons of the Gods which is adapted from Wong Yuk Long’s comics, it is well-followed throughout Asia and the game made used of 3D technology in its graphics which Wong Yuk Long anticipated. To further promote Weapons of the Gods, with Wong’s good friendship in the Hong Kong movie industry, it would be promoted together with Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. Other than that, the online gaming company will collaborate with Tsui Hark production team for Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame to shoot a 3D wuxia film Weapons of the Gods with a 200 million budget.

Considering the 3D film selling point, it would be an attraction to wuxia fans what’s the effect with 3D visual effects. The male lead had been decided to be Nicholas Tse who was previously cast in Wong Yuk Long’s Dragon Tiger Gate, Andy Lau is also invited to join the cast. Nicholas and Andy would be the clan leaders opposing each other, thus there will be many exciting 3D battle scenes. For the female lead, Charlene Choi will be invited as she would get to collaborate with Andy again.

news from: ent.163.com

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame held a party at the 67th Venice International Film Festival on 6 September. Director Tsui Hark and wife Shi Nansheng, the cast Carina Lau, Li Bingbing, Andy Lau and Huayi Brothers boss Wang Zhonglei attended.

Carina whom was wearing a cleavage revealing dress played mysterious during entrance as she held a mask. Carina and Tsui Hark’s wife both wore red for the party whereas Li Bingbing wore a shoulder revealing black dress, despite her low profile black dress, but the diamond bracelet on Bingbing’s hand was eye catching.

All males – Andy, Tsui Hark and Wang Zhonglei wore Western suits for the event.

news from: ent.qq.com

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is the only Chinese film competing in 67th Venice International Film Festival, after receiving high praise in the preview, the world premiere was held at the film festival on 5 September. Director Tsui Hark, producer Wang Zhonglei and Shi Nansheng, the cast Andy Lau, Li Bingbing, Carina Lau and Deng Chao walked down the premiere’s red carpet at Lido Island. Maggie Cheung also showed up to wish Carina all the best to win the Best Actress award, but she did not attended the premiere.

When the entourage entered the screening hall, the audience immediately stand up to applause in welcoming them, the cast in turn waved to thank the audience. When the name of Tsui Hark appeared on the silver screen, the audience began to applause, it was the same reception received when Andy, Li Bingbing and Carina’s name appeared on the screen, this is a sight hardly seen in premiere.

After the screening, the applause last 10 minutes as the world once again witness the exciting wuxia film of Tsui Hark. Other than the enthusiastic audience, the head of the judging panel – Quentin Tarantino was also among the audience, his presence resulted in a small commotion.

With regards to the audience’s concentration on the film, in several exciting action scenes, the audience paid close attention. During the first fight between Andy and Bingbing, at the segment when Andy splash water on her, the audience burst into laughter. Andy also smiled and looked at Bingbing. When the entourage was leaving the cinema, Carina walked rather fast, Andy whom was walking behind her scolded her: “Wu Zhetian! Walk slower!”

There was a canoeing competition in Venice that day, most of the route needed to be changed, the entourage need to walk from their hotel to the boat that bring them to Lido Island. Along the 5 minutes walk, the international audience screamed and took photographs of them as it does not lose out to the red carpet.

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame win high praise in the festival, as internally recognized film magazine Variety gave it 7.6 points, this is the highest point rated on a film for the past 5 days in the festival. The festival opening film Black Swan rated 7.1 points, Norwegian Wood rated 5.7 points and Somewhere rated 7 points.

news from: yule.sohu.com, Ming Pao

Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame worldwide premiere was held on 5 September in Venice, the two male leads Deng Chao and Andy Lau have their own charisma and performing characteristic, no matter it’s facing the media or in the film, using “twin heroes” to describe their trip in Venice is not exaggerating. Deng Chao is the youngest Chinese film representative, as “CHAO” pronunciation is pretty close to Italian “how are you”, so for the past two days, everybody was saying “CHAO” everywhere in Venice.

On the night of the premiere, after the film’s screening, the audience applause at the end of the film, among the Chinese media rating in Venice, Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame can considered to won the highest recognition. Every character surprised the audience, Deng Chao’s character Bei Dong Lai fit Chen Kou-fu’s rating: “It will be unforgettable for the audience when he appeared.” A media from China expressed: “Initially thought that Tony Leung will have a heavy role in the film, but Bei Dong Lai is the pivot of the story development.”

With regards to this, these “twin heroes” completely shown in Venice as Andy and Deng Chao can be considered as friends or foes. Before shooting starts, Tsui Hark wanted to create another “detective dee” — Bei Dong Lai who is also an expert detective, but his way is different from the norm. Although the character was touted to be at loggerhead with detective dee, however when investigating the case, what chemistry could sparks between them? How is he going to report to the imperial court? When compared with the clear identity of detective dee, Deng Chao’s character is hard to guess. In order to bring fresh elements to the film, detective dee is not alone as Deng Chao’s Bei Dong Lai to form a golden partnership, one hard one soft, together both of them push the development of the case in the film.

After the screening, the media have a deep impression in the exciting fighting scenes and beautiful images, the scenes with detective dee and Bei Dong Lai also won praise, the steady detective dee has his slow reasoning, the eager young Bei Dong Lai was fast to reveal the clues. Their collaboration will solve the case.

news from: ent.qq.com

Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame premiere at the 67th Venice Film Festival was held on 5 September.

The red carpet ceremony was held at 7:30pm.

The film is the only Chinese film competing in the festival, the film company is very focus on the film’s appearance in the festival. Director Tsui Hark arrived in Venice early to present life achievement award to to his old friend John Woo. Andy Lau, Li Bingbing, Carina Lau, Deng Chao rushed to Venice hoping that the world premiere of the film will do well.

The truth showed that other than the focus on the premiere, the film is also watchable, no wonder local and foreign reporters gave the film high points after watching. Since Seven Swords, Tsui Hark had not “touched” a wuxia theme film for close to five years, thus Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame can be considered as his home-coming production. With Sumo Hung as the action director, the action scenes won recognition by the reporters.

The weakness of the film, when compared to the beautiful action scenes, Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame is selling the suspense detective story but does not reach the expected effect. However this does not affect the audience love for the film, because the additive action scenes and beautiful images satisfied the audience.

news from: ent.qq.com, yule.sohu.com

On 4 September in 67th Venice International Film Festival, the crew of Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame held a small cocktail party in Venice.

Andy Lau, Li Bingbing, Tsui Hark and Wang Zhonglei attended.

Li Bingbing wore a black dress as she cheers with Andy, it seems that she’s in a happy mood.

news from: ent.qq.com

Andy Lau and Li Bingbing set off last night around 10pm for the 67th Venice International Film Festival, their Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame will be a film competing in the festival.

Bingbing hope that both the film and director Tsui Hark could win. She expressed that there are many sponsors for attending the festival as she would dressed up for the festival. When asked if she would hold the hands of Andy to walk down the red carpet? She exclaimed that she had yet discussed with Andy, when she board the plane she would suggest to him. She added that she would seize the time to rest during the flight as the promotion works in Hong Kong is tough, it would also be a tight schedule in Venice.

Andy whom was wearing a white shirt, black specs and hand carrying a file. He said he brought 3 sets of sponsored clothes to Venice but he expressed that he would not be wearing any jewelleries. When asked if he would walk down the red carpet with Carina Lau, he exclaimed that there is no arrangement yet, if to walk down the red carpet together, it would also be together with the crew members.

Fans were also at the airport to sent off Andy. With the fans following behind him, he looked like a handsome tour guide in white. His popularity cannot be rival as wherever he goes attracted screams. Andy quipped that he’s going “tuition”.

news from: Ming Pao, ent.tom.com, ent.sina.com

Li Bingbing was instructed by Empress Wu (Carina Lau) to accompany Andy Lau to investigate a case in in Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, this is her third collaboration with Andy. Andy remember when he first saw her in Cat and Mouse’s Zhuozhou (Hebei, China) shooting studio, looking at the little woman sitting beside him, he thought Anthony Wong brought her here, but Andy sing praise of her by looking at her: “Till today, she’s still so innocent!” Bingbing smiles: “I’m should consider myself stupid!” Andy then correct her: “Kids are not stupid!” Bingbing the insist that she’s a stuipd kid.

Other than Cat and Mouse, they also collaborated in World Without Thieves were they also fight against each other, Andy said: “I can see her improvement but she’s still the same!” A modest Bingbing then say: “I’m not careful and beat Andy twice!”

In the film, Bingbing has many action scenes, she even fight against Andy, Andy suffered as he got beaten by her, Bingbing smiled: “Andy is an expert, when he was beaten by me, everybody present wanted to burst into laughter but don’t dare, fearing that he would be angry!” Andy then quipped: “I’m not injured physically but my heart is hurt, even I’m so agile but still I couldn’t run away, I was hit on my shoulder, luckily not on my face because I’m an idol!” Bingbing console him: “Then I’ll be responsible for the later part of your life!” A mischievous Andy then said: “You can even without hitting me!”

Bingbing exclaimed that she does not feel pressurize when collaborating with Andy this time round, however Andy always asked himself why he gave people pressure because he wanted everybody to act well, Bingbing said: “Andy had a lot of ideas and fight well, can be seen that he’s very professional, it’s not a waste training all these years!” Upon hearing, Andy exclaimed: “I’ve nothing to say! Haha!”

In the film, Bingbing was sent to investigate a case with Andy, she also need to seduce Andy, but Andy quipped that he couldn’t enjoy as the seduction was during the investigation of a case, but he revealed that Bingbing need to “strip” and it was more daring that in The Message, initially wanted to request the director to clear the set but in the end, there were more than 20 people walking around during shooting as nobody cared of their feelings.

When asked of the feeling of stripping? Bingbing immediately answered: “It’s him (pointing at Andy), he discovered that I have a good figure!” Andy then added: “That time I was fatter, initially she (looking at Bingbing) had prepared her emotions to act, I’m not ready thus went to discuss how to shoot the scene, I then know that I also need to strip! During that time I’m not prefect!” Bingbing then laughed at Andy: “Therefore now you know who wanted the set to be cleared, must check out the seduction scene. I would not dare in real life!” Bingbing’s face turned red.

When asked to choose between action and seduction scene, Bingbing quipped: “I really to be in love relationship, it feels more romantic!” She watched Andy’s Look For A Star, it feel that it’s a different Andy Lau, the inner feelings can be seen, very open, people will love this kind of man, so Andy promise her to write a similar script to collaborate with her.

Bingbing continue: “I remember when I first came to Hong Kong for film promotion, I was being asked how I felt of Andy, I said that I liked him as he’s a good person, it came out to be my love declaration to him, but when you asked me how I felt of Andy now, I would still say that I liked him, loved him, but it’s admiration and respect! Actually I need to be careful of what I said, many people loved him, I’m just one of them!”

Upon hearing, a gentleman Andy said: “Her usage of words are so cute!”

With regards to director Tsui Hark, Andy sing praise that he’s creative, he said: “One day I saw Tsui Hark standing at the rooftop, I asked him what he was looking at? He said: “I wanted you to fight it!” Unexpectedly 4 days later, he came with a deer horn and asked someone to dressed up as a deer to fight with me, collaborating with him like like going for lessons, he came out with question, I need to do homework!” In addition, Andy revealed when trying out his image, Tsui Hark suggested that he shave his eye brow, Andy rejected as he said: “I tried shaving my eye brow during the shooting of Running Out of Time when I dressed up as a woman, than my eye brow failed to grow back, thus I’m against it! In addition, when shooting period films, I don’t want to wear hair gear as it would result in hair falling and the effect looked fake, thus when shooting this film, I grew my hair long and add extensions, it would looked more natural.”

news from: www.people.com.cn, ent.qq.com

Directed by Tsui Hark, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame will open in the cinema soon, Andy Lau and Li Bingbing were at Hong Kong’s Madame Tussaud’s to unveil their respective wax figures.

As it would require 6 months to make changes to the wax figures, thus the image of the figures could not be change to accommodate the promotion of the film as it remained in their old images.

Although the wax figures remained the same, but both of them were still excited upon seeing their wax figures. When Andy took the initiative to kiss Bingbing’s wax figure, she also kissed Andy’s figure.

As it would require 6 months to make changes to the wax figures, thus the image of the figures could not change image to accommodate the promotion of the film as it remained in their old images. In order to promote this film, Li Bingbing’s figure was air-freight from Shanghai, she quipped: “It’s tough coming from Shanghai.” She revealed that the costume that the figure was wearing was what she wore when collecting the Best Actress award in 2007, thus it has a special meaning for her. Upon hearing, Andy immediately joked, “This image was specially prepared for me to collect the Best Actor award next year.” Actually the image of Andy’s wax figure is tailored according to his character in Infernal Affairs.

Despite being the old images, both of them were excited seeing their own wax figures. They had not met each other for more than 6 months, having collaborated for 4 films, Andy and Bingbing had a strong chemistry as after unveiling the wax figures, Andy took the initiative to stand beside Bingbing’s wax figure and made an action of kissing “her face” which the fans reacted with screams. Li Bingbing whom was standing beside Andy’s figure could not follow the kissing action as Andy’s figure is taller than her, she could only rest both her hands on the figure’s shoulder to make a kissing action.

The unveiling of the wax figure was to promote Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, thus the topic does not escape about the film. During the interview, Li Bingbing kept singing praise of “Andy looked handsome during fighting”, Andy immediately sing praise of her “fighting well” as well, unexpectedly Li Bingbing quipped: “That means that I’m not bad in beating you!”

Andy could not hide his mischievous self by reveal Li Bingbing’s “mishap”: “Her weapon in the film is the whip, although she handle it well, but the whip does not have eyes, thus other than it hitting onto the crew members, then it’s me, everybody was scared of her! Whenever she used her whip, everybody ran away or went hiding.” Andy then added that whenever Bingbing used her whip, he would run to a distance far away from her and shout: “Attention, Bingbing is going to use her whip!” The crew members did not know whether to smile or cry after hearing Andy.

Earlier there was reports that Andy’s concert at the end of the year had cut down 8 nights, the reason was due to the drop in popularity with him hiding the truth of his marriage, he clarified: “The reporter whom wrote this article should be a newbie, he don’t understand that from my past concerts, I sell my concert part by part from the 10th nights. Actually the concert only start selling tickets today, actually we started selling tickets from the 12th night.” With regards to such news, Andy expressed that he could do nothing: “What you want me to do? You want that pen to write me dead?” Reporter asked him if he still concern the feelings of normal readers? Andy said: “Who said I don’t care, what if it was writing about you?”

In the beginning of the year, Andy’s Future X-cops was touted to be a “lousy film”, Andy was once given the title of “King of lousy films”, with regards to this, he said: “All of you should understand why I accept to be cast in this film, those whom scolded this film is always a small group of people. Maybe the film did not meet the expectation, but Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame will also be scolded if it opened in the cinema? Impossible.”

With regards to Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, Andy had lot of feelings to it, although he had know Tsui Hark for many years, but he really collaborate with him starting from this film, he said: “It’s surely a homecoming production by Tsui Hark, don’t you feel that I looked like him in the film? Actually I’m him in the film.” With regards to Tsui Hark’s saying that he was picked to be Detective Dee because he is “clever”, Andy asked the reporter: “Do you think that I’m clever? Actually I’m not good at managing finance.” For his latest invested film – Gallant, despite rounds of promotion, but it does not make a profit for Andy.

When talked about Empress Wu in the film, Andy said: “I feel that it’s good, it’s different from what I thought. It does not require Carina Lau.” He also express that his Detective Dee is the same as himself, a person with society responsibility.” He initially does not support Wu Zhetian to become Empress, but he later found out that no man could do better than her, thus he agree and request that the throne to be passed to her son.

news from: yule.baidu.com, ent.163.com, ent.qq.com

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame which will opens in cinemas on 29 September will be director Tsui Hark’s 50th film in more than 20 years career. It’s his first collaboration with Chen Koufu and the only Chinese film to compete in 67th Venice International Film Festival, Andy Lau and Li Bingbing are also vying to be the Best Actor and Actress thus this is a rather meaningful film which took 10 years in the making. The film will have its worldwide premiere at the 67th Venice International Film Festival on 5 September with the theme of Dream Back to Tang Dynasty, the whole cast will also gathered again. With this chance, Huayi Brothers seized the chance to present the latest poster, audience can count down to await the arrival of Tang Dynasty arriving in Venice.

Other than the earlier released 5 characters’ silhouette posters, a new poster was designed specially for the festival, these posters will be revealed during the festival. The latest poster used the boat in the Ghost Market as its theme, Empress Wu Zhetian in the background, mystery creatures hiding at the sides of the boat to display the detective investigating a mystery case. The Ghost Market is the most mysterious and colorful set for the film, it’s an underground world almost forgotten by people, it’s a heaven for those people escaping from reality and those carrying out illegal business. The poster is trying to show off the dangerous Ghost Market which fit director Tsui Hark’s positioning of the film and win by wisdom confidence by Huayi Brothers, using technologies with a steady script, high class production and shooting techniques to break into the international market and create a new standard for Chinese films.

Two days after the premiere, Huayi Brothers will held a dinner titled Dream Back to Tang Dynasty at Venice’s Hotel Exelsior where movie-makers, media, famous local and overseas personals from the film industry will gather together.

An exhibition will also be held where the film posters, props and Empress Wu Zhetian’s costume would also be displayed. The booth will also be decorated with Tang dynasty lighting and paintings for the additional mystery atmosphere, dragon and phoenix will be at the background of the stage, the giant LED screen will broadcast videos of Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.

Huayi Borther’s CEO Wang Zhonglei, director Tsui Hark, the cast which includes Andy Lau, Li Bingbing, Carina Lau and Deng Chao will be in Venice to meet the media.