EXCLUSIVE: Japanese action star Rina Takeda, Korean actress and model Go Joon-hee, Hong Kong actress Wiyona Yeung, and Singaporean actors Desmond Tan and Rebecca Lim are in discussions to join Hong Kong zombie movie Chungking Mansions.
Chungking Mansions tells the story of a disparate group of people from across the globe who must climb the iconic Chungking Mansions building amidst a zombie outbreak in Hong Kong.
The action-thriller will film primarily in English – the lead character is an American desperately striving to save his wife and child who are holed up in Chungking Mansions – but we’re told the film will feature a number of languages including Japanese, Cantonese, and Korean to reflect the multi-cultural nature of both the production and Chungking Mansions itself.
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Pic is being produced by Phoenix Waters Productions in co-production with AMM Global, and is one of several films and series they are partnering on to produce in Hong Kong for local and international audiences. Upcoming productions include Forensic Psychologist, a Cantonese remake of Richard Linklater’s Tape with original writer Stephen Belber involved, NFT drama series Crypto Keepers, and superhero drama series Evos. Tong’s latest feature Lockdown was a thriller shot in the UK and Hong Kong, and is set for release later this year.
Director-producer Bizhan M. Tong told us: “Chungking Mansions contributes to the evolving tapestry of zombie lore while paying tribute to the socially charged narratives of George A. Romero, bringing it closer in tone to Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Us.”
Producers are aiming to shoot the film next spring.
Rina Takeda’s action roles include Karate Girl and Attack On Titan. Go Joon-hee starred in hit Kdrama series She Was Pretty and supernatural thriller Possessed. Desmond Tan starred in Derek and Ink at Tai Ping. Rebecca Lim’s roles include The Lead and The Bridge. Kevin Leslie stars in Tong’s suspense thriller Lockdown and Wiyona Yeung stars in We Are Legends and Sinister Beings.
Tan and Lim are represented by The Celebrity Agency, Mediacorp.
