RUMOR: Stephen Chow as Kato in new Green Hornet movie???

[Silent Assassin]

just a rumor for now, but stranger things had happened.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6038

[jethro]

The idea of him playing Kato does sound like it could be another Stephen Chow classic.

[SPJ]

Stephen has his own style of being a Kung Fu comedian.

He wanted to learn Kung Fu as bruce lee inspired him on the big screen. But he never did. so he has to rely on the special effect of the movies to help him realizing the dream on the big screen.

He would fail miserably if he plays any serious role.

I was always ready to laugh at any move or talk from him in all of his movies.

the audience was never very serious about him.

--

:D

[NJM]

/palmface


I really don't think this is a good idea.

[X_plosion]

I wonder what would have happened if the deal for Rickson Gracie to play Kato had pushed through.

[jethro]

SPJ, did you hear somewhere that this will be a serious role playing Kato? I don't know if that would work. I have seen abotu 25 Stephen Chow movies, and only a few suck. I look forward to any new comedy movie he is in. It takes a lot to get a laugh out of me, but Chow does it consistantly in every movie I see him in.

[Design Sifu]

Considering who's rumored to play THE GREEN HORNET (http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/07/23/chubby-comic-set-to-play-green-hornet/). I don't think the film will be of a serious tone.

[Errant108]

He wanted to learn Kung Fu as bruce lee inspired him on the big screen. But he never did. so he has to rely on the special effect of the movies to help him realizing the dream on the big screen.

He would fail miserably if he plays any serious role.

I was always ready to laugh at any move or talk from him in all of his movies.

the audience was never very serious about him.

--

:D

I seem to recall an interview with Stephen where he discussed his Wing Chun training. I think he had pictures with his teacher.

[SPJ]

I seem to recall an interview with Stephen where he discussed his Wing Chun training. I think he had pictures with his teacher.

I think you are correct. I also remember reading about this. I will try to search.

:)

[SPJ]

SPJ, did you hear somewhere that this will be a serious role playing Kato? I don't know if that would work. I have seen abotu 25 Stephen Chow movies, and only a few suck. I look forward to any new comedy movie he is in. It takes a lot to get a laugh out of me, but Chow does it consistantly in every movie I see him in.

I am also a big fan.

I like the movie that he played as an agent 008.

Well there are several.

One was taking place as an agent for the Ming emperor. This one was all right.

In another film, he was a butcher for pork in the market.--

Ya. He has so many films over the years.

--

My favorite one would be the one that he played as the beggar king Su Qi Er. He was weak or beaten down. He slept a lot. He practiced sleeping Luohan fist in his dream. It was just hilarious.

--

:D;)

[SPJ]

I would really like to see "green hornet" on the big screen.

I vividly remembered that I had to wait 30 min for the first episode to air on TV in Taiwan in the 60's. I was only like the first grade.

--

:)

[doug maverick]

as far as i know stephen chow has trained in wing chun but i don't remember the teacher.

[jethro]

I think you are talking about King of Beggars SPJ. I thought it was just average but I did like the sleeping style. Shaolin Soccer is my favorite and Fight Back to School 1 and 2 are also quite good.

[SPJ]

Yes. Shaolin soccer really propelled him internationally or at least in south and north east asia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd_VDO2uj5g


:cool:

[GeneChing]

I can hear flight of the bumblebee now...
Stephen Chow to Direct and Star in Columbia Pictures' The Green Hornet (http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/stephen-chow-direct-star-columbia/story.aspx?guid=%7B487179DB-4AF1-4F43-8E6C-4A63D9FAF18D%7D&dist=hppr)
Helmer Takes On Role of Kato; Feature Film Set for Release June 25, 2010
Last update: 4:24 p.m. EDT Sept. 19, 2008

CULVER CITY, Calif., Sept 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Stephen Chow, one of Asia's most popular box-office draws as the award-winning star and director of such films as Kung Fu Hustle, CJ7, and Shaolin Soccer, will direct Seth Rogen and star opposite him as Kato in Columbia Pictures' The Green Hornet, set for release June 25, 2010, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. The screenplay is by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, who will also executive produce. Neal H. Moritz is the producer through his Original Film production company.

In tapping Chow to helm The Green Hornet, Sony Pictures Entertainment continues a long association with the star and director. Under its local language initiative, Sony co-produced and released Chow's Kung Fu Hustle, which went on to gross over $100 million worldwide and received a Golden Globe(R) nomination as well as six Hong Kong Film Awards and five Taiwan Golden Horse Awards. Sony also released CJ7.

Commenting on the announcement, Tolmach said, "When Seth, Evan, and Neal said they wanted Stephen Chow to be part of The Green Hornet, it was a fantasy. Now that it's happening, it's almost too good to be true. Stephen's been a very important part of the Sony family for many years, so it's truly serendipitous for us to be moving forward with him directing the movie and starring as Kato."

Chow added, "I'm excited to be taking on The Green Hornet -- obviously, I've been a huge fan of the show since I was a kid. The idea of stepping into Bruce Lee's shoes as Kato is both humbling and thrilling, and to get the chance to direct the project as my American movie debut is simply a dream come true. I'm grateful to my friends at Sony, who have shown so much faith in me for so many years. I'm looking forward to working with Seth, Evan, Neal, and the team at Sony, and I'm eager to get started."

Moritz said, "The Green Hornet is a dream project and it's come together in a dream way. Seth will be fantastic in the lead role, and Stephen was the only name on the list for Kato. The material is a perfect match for his sensibilities -- Stephen in the director's chair is the best thing for the film."

Rogen said, "Stephen was always my and Evan's first choice for director and to play Kato. We just hope that he never finds out we're not the Wachowski Brothers."

Stephen Chow, Asia's number one comedy star and one of the region's most beloved entertainers, has directed five feature films, most recently CJ7.

His previous feature Kung Fu Hustle was the third highest grossing film in Hong Kong history after Titanic and Jurassic Park. Chow made his directorial debut with God of Cookery in 1996, followed by King of Comedy in 1999, both of which he also wrote and starred in. In 2001 Chow directed, wrote, and starred in Shaolin Soccer, the fourth-highest grossing film of all time at the Hong Kong box office, which also broke box office records across Asia. Shaolin Soccer went on to win seven major awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Sound Design and Best Visual Effects.

A native of Hong Kong, Stephen Chow was one of three children in what he describes as a "very poor family." He grew up as a Bruce Lee fan and a martial arts fanatic, but he remembers that as a child his own kung fu training had to stop after six weeks when his family could no longer afford lessons. Chow started his entertainment career as the host of a TV children's show, "430 Space Shuttle." He quickly made a name for himself with his witty style, but it was not until 1988 that he began acting in films.

In 1989, in the movie Final Justice, he played a supporting role, which won him the best supporting actor award at the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards and established him in the Hong Kong film world. The key turning point in his career came only a year later, when he had his first starring role in the 1990 Chow Yun-Fat spoof All for the Winner. In this movie, Chow's unique and hilarious onscreen persona -- playing his first in a series of lovable underdogs -- made him an overnight sensation in Hong Kong and throughout Asia. Asian film observers also say that in that film Chow gave birth to the "Mo Lei Tau" ("nonsense") comedy style, now considered a fully established genre of Hong Kong comedy.

Since All for the Winner, Chow has gradually but firmly established himself as Hong Kong's comedy king. Among his 50 some movies, Justice My Foot won him the best actor award at the 1992 Asian Pacific Film Awards, and A Chinese Odyssey won him the best actor award at the 1996 Hong Kong Critics Society Awards as well as at the Hong Kong Golden Bauhinia Film Awards.

Stephen Chow's Star Overseas recently formed a new multi-feature collaboration with Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia, under which Sony Pictures Releasing International will distribute the features produced by Star Overseas worldwide.

Ori Marmur will serve as the Executive Producer of the film.

Chow is represented by Creative Artists Agency and attorney Alan Grodin of Weissman Wolff Bergman Coleman Grodin & Evall LLP.

About Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

[doug maverick]

yeah i heard about this quite a few months back. i think seth rogen is writing the script and playing brett. if i'm not mistaking. glad its confirmed now i can talk about it YAY.

[Zenshiite]

I was skeptical until I read that Rogen is in training to play Britt Reid. Not sure how far that guy can go in training for the role, but it at least gives me hope. At least he's not apparently going for turning GH into his typical slacker character.

[Jimbo]

I would really like to see "green hornet" on the big screen.

I vividly remembered that I had to wait 30 min for the first episode to air on TV in Taiwan in the 60's. I was only like the first grade.

--

:)

I also remember the original Green Hornet on TV when I was 4, watching with my older brother and sister. That would be in 1967, I think the year it eventually got canceled. I remembered Kato, but at the time I just thought the show was a similar but inferior show to the Batman series.

As for Stephen Chow playing Kato, I guess we'll have to wait and see. The problem with bringing Asian stars into American films is that mostly they lose the personality that made them special overseas. But seeing that Chow will be directing, this could be an exception!

[GreenCloudCLF]

Looks like he may be taking over the reigns as director as well.

[Zenshiite]

I also remember the original Green Hornet on TV when I was 4, watching with my older brother and sister. That would be in 1967, I think the year it eventually got canceled. I remembered Kato, but at the time I just thought the show was a similar but inferior show to the Batman series.

As for Stephen Chow playing Kato, I guess we'll have to wait and see. The problem with bringing Asian stars into American films is that mostly they lose the personality that made them special overseas. But seeing that Chow will be directing, this could be an exception!

I've seen lots of the old Batman tv series, and I've seen lots of the Green Hornet(than you IFC) in the recent past. I think Green Hornet was superior if only for it's serious tone. The same folks made both shows, but Green Hornet is better just because of the seriousness of it. It's just not as iconic.

[GeneChing]

advice from stephen chow (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHdTLEGoKm4&feature=related)

[doug maverick]

that was funny as hell, gene. and yes the web can be a dangerous place.lol

[Jimbo]

I've seen lots of the old Batman tv series, and I've seen lots of the Green Hornet(than you IFC) in the recent past. I think Green Hornet was superior if only for it's serious tone. The same folks made both shows, but Green Hornet is better just because of the seriousness of it. It's just not as iconic.

Well, being so young, I think I liked Batman better because I kinda liked Batgirl. Almost as much as the girls of Petticoat Junction. :) I think now I'd like GH better. Several years ago I saw a screening of an episode where Bruce Lee fought Mako (but it looked like Mako was doubled by Dan Inosanto). I think the episode was titled, "Praying Mantis".