Berlin: Kai Greene Stars in ‘Crazy Fist’ for All Rights Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)
Prominent U.S. bodybuilder Kai Greene (“Stranger Things”) stars in upcoming Chinese and American co-venture film “Crazy Fist.”
The film features a former mixed martial arts champion who swore never to fight again after accidentally killing his opponent. But he is forced back into the ring in order to uncover a major conspiracy. Greene is paired with a top Chinese cast including Huang Xiaoming (“Ip Man 2”), Zhao Wei (“Painted Skin,” “Red Cliff”) plus Steve Yoo (“CZ12”) and Collin Chou (“Matrix Revolutions”).
The Guo Qing-directed film is produced by Beijing Elite Arts Culture on a budget of $12 million and being sold at international markets, including the Berlin Film Festival, by Hong Kong- and Paris-based All Rights Entertainment. A theatrical release in China is set for July.
All Rights is also handling sales on Xavier Gens-produced suspense thriller “Hostile.” Directed by Mathieu Turi, the film has already had a distinguished genre festival career, with play dates including Sitges and Frightfest.
The company says it is fielding multiple offers from North American mini-studios and has sold the picture extensively overseas. It was licensed to Exponenta for the CIS region, Splendid for German-speaking Europe and Jetsen for China.
Multiple specialty distributors have made North American offers for “The Lady in the Portrait,” a French-Chinese venture directed by Charles de Meaux and starring Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing. The film was released in France in December by Rezo Films, garnering a respectable 60,000 admissions. The film has the backing of China’s largest property group Evergrande, but a Middle Kingdom release date has not yet been finalized.
A major mid-year release is being set for China on Italian animated family film “Leo Da Vinci.” The film was picked up by Enjoy Movie (Hong Kong) and is set for a 10,000 print opening. It releases in Italy on June 11 through Videa.
Other animated titles include “Toys & Pets Adventures,” from China’s Light Chaser Animation, and Light Chaser’s “Cats.” “Toys & Pets” previously appeared in Annecy and the Shanghai festival last year under the title “Tea Pets.” A redubbed version will be available from March. “Cats” will be delivered in May.
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