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November 07, 2005
WEINSTEIN COMPANY PICKS UP SHA PO LANG
They got it. The new company run by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, The Weinstein Company, has picked up the US, Candaian, UK and Irish rights to Wilson Yip's SHA PO LANG, starring Simon Yam, Donnie Yen, Wu Jing and Sammo Hung.
This isn't much of a surprise. Bey Logan was just hired by TWC to be their Asian go-to guy and he was previously working for Arclight Films doing sales of SHA PO LANG. Expect more Asian acquisitions from TWC as Logan sniffs out the hot new films like a French pig rooting for truffles. My prediction for the next acquisition: DRAGON SQUAD, the Steven Seagal-produced action film with Sammo Hung in it. Reason? Bey Logan was also heavily involved with that movie which is also having its sales handled by Arclight.
Donnie Yen is also popular in Japan right now with his new book, "Donnie Yen's Action Secrets". Released only in Japan (with a roll-out to China and beyond later this month) the book, which is apparently a tell-all memoir (although details are sketchy) is selling "like hotcakes".
November 7, 2005 at 09:08 AM in News | Permalink
Comments
As unlikely as it probably is, I have high hopes for Bey Logan swaying the much-decried Weinsteins into not screwing over the films they release here. One would hope that someone who is an admittedly huge 'Asian' movie fan as Logan would do his best to preserve the original films without them being "Americanized" or whatever the hell it is they call it when these films get edited, dubbed, or re-scored. I realize that the final call isn't up to him, but still, it's a glimmer of hope. Of course, I wouldn't be too shocked if he tries to promote the stuff he's had his fingers in before anything else.
Circus Kids in theatres 2005!!!
Or not.
Posted by: FiveVenoms | Nov 7, 2005 9:42:08 AM
I realize that the first instinct upon seeing that the Weinsteins have acquired an Asian film is to wonder how long they'll let it sit on a shelf. Shaolin Soccer, anyone? Still, since presumably they're back to beining their own bosses, their yearly bonuses aren't as arcanely figured as they were while with Disney, so they'll be a little more expediant with their releases. And, like the poster above mentioned, hopefully Bey Logan will be able to steer them away from doing silly things like re-editing, dubbing them or re-scoring them. Time will tell.
Posted by: Rich Drees | Nov 7, 2005 10:59:55 AM