In fact, rather than say it myself and risk you not believing me, I’m going to just quote the results of a recent interview Woo did with Cinema Blend. Dig the word:
Yeah, a musical, yeah! I have a script for a musical for 12 years that I paid for with my own money. I still want to make a musical. It’s an original, not from any well-known existing musical. It’s an action musical. (laughs) It’s true! We have a very good script, I wanted to make it, but it’s hard to interest studios to make a musical right now. It’s in English. I love All That Jazz, Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story. I miss musicals.
A John Woo musical. Now, while that might be fun, especially if it were something like Hard Boiled-The Musical (especially if he does the double handgun thing that is his hallmark, along with the slow motion dove release), I’m terrified that some day I might well wake up and find Paint Your Wagon, directed by John Woo, on my list of things to watch.
I just got goosebumps. And they’re not the fun kind, either.
There are things that you’d never imagine going together in life.
Tom Cruise and John Woo is easily one of them. But when you consider John Woo’s newest project announcement, a movie about a little known side of World War II, in which the Americans helped the Chinese. Check out what Woo said in a recent interview:
“It’s based on a true story in WWII, about a group of American volunteer fighter pilots who worked with the Chinese Air Force fighting with the Japanese and they won the war. Also, it’s the story of Clair Chennault, and they did a great contribution for the Chinese, and the Chinese people love and respect them. The whole story is about a friendship between a Chinese and an American and they worked together.”
That’s not something you’d expect to go together either–the Chinese and the Americans. Especially not lately! But is this story going to be too obscure for World War II buffs? Or will it be a shot in the arm for Cruise’s career, currently flagging under a weight of Scientology and insanity?
John Woo’s Red Cliff domestic trailer looks breathtaking and spectacular. I am awed by the crispness of the cinematography. Apparently, the movie has been edited down to one film for the United States, which Woo intended to do all along. Some may not be happy about his decision, but it’s still an epic and the film will draw more people to the theaters.
Surely having become bored of making action moves, legendary director John Woo has told attendees at a Beijing charity dinner that he hopes to create a sports movie.
"I want real athletes to be my lead actors so that we can portray the athlete’s spirit accurately," he said, though he wouldn’t offer any further details.
However, that sports movie might be far off in the future as Woo’s current schedule is highly packed. He is currently working on a Red Cliff sequel, Chinese Revolution epic 1949, and Caliber, a graphic novel adaptation with Johnny Depp.
John Woo is set to direct comic book adaptation Caliber. The project unveils at next week’s Comic-Con in San Diego.
The film most likely be a three-way co-production of Johnny Depps’s Infinitum Nihil, Barry Levine’s Radical Comics and Lion Rock, the U.S.-based shingle that Woo runs with longstanding partner Terence Chang.
Radical Comics’ hit story sets King Arthur and his knights as 19th century gunslingers in the Pacific Northwest.
“Caliber” is doubtful to be Woo’s next film. He is editing part two of his epic Red Cliff for a January release in Asia and plans to deliver an international version shortly thereafter.
John Woo’s film about the final days of Han Dynasty, in 208, covering the war that established the Three Kingdoms periods in China is ready for viewing in Asia.
Red Cliff is based on the book “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”
The $80 million dollar film is 4 hours long and will be presented to Asia in two parts. The first part bows this coming Thursday in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea.
When Red Cliff comes to the states in January, the film will be edited down to 2 1/2 hours.
Woo made a name for himself in Hollywood, and then returned to China to make Red Cliff, a 20 year dream.
Director John Woo is back filming in China with a film called “1949,” an epic on modern China from the end of World War II to the formation of People’s Republic, budgeted at $40 million.
Film is to take place on location in China and Taiwan and is set to begin production by the end of 2008. Â
Politically, Beijing considers Taiwan — which split off from China in 1949 and has been self-governing ever since — as a renegade province.
The film will star Seong Hye-kyo (”Fetish”) and Chang Chen (”Red Cliff”) and was scripted by Wong Hui Ling (”Lust, Caution”).
The Chinese-language project is based on true events and features a love story set against the backdrop of the final years of China’s civil war before the rise to power of Mao Zedong’s Communist Party.
Woo was in Cannes promoting his first Chinese-language film, “Red Cliff,” which is being sold by Summit Entertainment. It was his first film in China since he left Hong Kong years ago for work in Los Angeles.
No, seriously, you won’t.
There are things that you’d never imagine going together in life.
Surely having become bored of making action moves, legendary director John Woo has 
