Little Big Soldier

[GeneChing]

Another upcoming Jackie Chan flick.

Jackie Chan set for 'Junior Soldiers' (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117995233.html?categoryid=13&cs=1)
Ding Sheng to direct period road movie
By CLIFFORD COONAN

BEIJING -- Jackie Chan has started work on his latest film, which has the English working title "Junior Soldiers." Lensing is expected to begin early next year.

Spox Yuan Nong from the Beijing office of Chan's JCE shingle confirmed the pic would be shot next year but gave no further details.

Project is essentially a road movie in period costume set during the Qin dynasty, according to reports on the Sina.com website; "Underdog Knight" helmer Ding Sheng will direct.

Chan will produce, star and write the screenplay, which focuses on three people and a horse.

[SimonM]

So, just to be clear, Jackie Chan is not producing a documentary about child soldiers, right?

[RAYNYSC]

I saw this & thought I'd post it not sure if it's been mentioned already.


Jackie Chan’s ‘Junior Soldiers’ begins shooting
By Mark Pollard • February 4, 2009


Chinese media reports that on February 3rd production began in Yunnan on JUNIOR SOLDIERS, Jackie Chan’s latest movie. It is a project that he has been planning for 20 years.

JUNIOR SOLDIERS is being described as a period arthouse film that is set in the Qin Dynasty. The plot centers on a journey undertaken by three individuals and a horse.

Chan, who portrays a military general, reportedly was filming a scene recently where he destroyed an inn sign post while in a drunken stupor. There’s no mention if Chan was channeling his drunken boxing performance in DRUNKEN MASTER 2, his drunken acting performance in NEW POLICE STORY or his impromptu drunken singing performance on stage with Taiwanese singer Jonathan Lee in 2006.

Chan is next appearing in theaters in director Derek Yee’s crime drama SHINJUKU INCIDENT which opens in Asia in April. Pictures, a trailer and more information is available at the official site.

Chan has already finished shooting Hollywood comedy THE SPY NEXT DOOR and is next planning to step in to replace the late Pat Morita on producer Will Smith’s remake of THE KARATE KID.

[GeneChing]

80 billion won = $57,558,150.96 USD
1 won = 7/100ths of a penny

02-05-2009 19:36
Yoo Seung-joon appears in Jackie Chan’s film “Da Being Xiao Jiang.” (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/02/178_39057.html)
By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter

Yoo Seung-joon, a former K-pop star who became notorious for evading mandatory military service, will make his big screen debut in Jackie Chan's epic action film ``Da Being Xiao Jiang'' (Big Soldier Small General or Junior Soldier), Chan's entertainment company JC Group International said Thursday.

The 33-year-old was recruited by Chan last year and will play a supporting role opposite the world famous action star and Taiwanese-American actor Lee-hom Wang. Shooting for the Qin Dynasty-era movie begins Tuesday at a fortress in Yunnan, China. Chan will play a common soldier, while Wang and Yoo will play princes of warring states. Yoo's character will be the villain of the story.

In a telephone interview with Yonhap News, Yoo was quoted as saying, ``I cannot speak in detail about the movie, but I will play the bad guy. Because I play a fighting prince, I have to do action sequences involving horseback riding and swordsmanship.''

``Junior Soldier'' is an 80 billion won project that its actors, producer and writer Chan have been preparing for 20 years. The Chinese-language film anticipates worldwide release in the fall. ``I've been working in China for a while, so the Chinese lines won't be too much of a problem'' said Yoo. ``But I'm continuing to practicing lines that are in archaic Chinese.''

Emerging director Ding Sheng (``The Underdog Knight'') will helm the movie. ``When Jackie Chan was planning the project 20 years ago, he was thinking of playing Lee-hom Wang's part. But because time has passed, he decided to take the role of the common soldier,'' said Yoo. ``My part wasn't very big at first, but the director changed that after meeting me, saying I'm fit for the action sequences.''

This will be Yoo's first attempt at acting. JC Group Korea said that Chan thought highly of Yoo's well-toned physique and fluency in English, Korean and Chinese, and that he had the potential to become the next Jackie Chan. ``I feel nervous, like a newcomer again,'' said Yoo. ``Starring in a Jackie Chan movie alone is a such a great honor, and playing a sizable role is really exciting.''

Local criticism still lingers about Yoo's controversial military service evasion and subsequent deportation. ``Of course I am still very cautious about that,'' he said. ``But I want to show that I am trying my best wherever I am, and I hope to inch my way back to stand before those I've disappointed.''

[GeneChing]

That's what I like about Jackie. He's always working.
Mar 9, 1:44 AM EDT
Jackie Chan starts shooting historical epic (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_HONG_KONG_PEOPLE_JACKIE_CHAN_ASOL-?SITE=ASIAONE&SECTION=SPECIAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-03-09-01-44-09)
By MIN LEE

HONG KONG (AP) -- Jackie Chan says he has started shooting his new movie in southwestern China - a production Chinese media have described as a historical epic about a friendship between two soldiers.

The 54-year-old action star said in a blog entry on his Web site Monday that he was filming in the Yuanmou Earth Forest, a Grand Canyon-like tourist attraction in Yunnan province.

Chan said the film is called "Dabing Xiaojiang" in Chinese, which translates into "Big Soldier, Small General," but did not give further details. An earlier report by Chinese news Web site Sina.com described it as a historical epic about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin dynasty.

Chan said the movie, directed by Chinese filmmaker Ding Cheng, also stars Chinese-American pop star Leehom Wang and South Korean actor Yoo Seung-jun.

Solon So, the chief executive of Chan's JC Group, said Chan is funding the production but wouldn't give further details.

Chan's latest release is the gangster thriller "Shinjuku Incident," which is scheduled to be released in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia on April 2 and in Japan on May 1. He was also recently filming the Hollywood comedy "The Spy Next Door."

[GeneChing]

As soon as JC settles on a title, I'll change the post heading.

Jackie Chan Goes Big on 'Soldier (http://english.cri.cn/6666/2009/04/08/1261s472409.htm)
After keeping a tight lid on the project for months, Jackie Chan has unveiled the details of his $25 million picture "Big Soldier".

Chan produces, stars and wrote the screenplay, which focuses on three people and a horse.

Cast includes Chan, singer-turned actor Lee-Hom Wang, previous unknown Lin Peng and South Korea's Yoo Seung-Jun. Ding Sheng is the director.

"The film is set during the Warring States Period," Chan told a news conference on Tuesday. "It's an action picture with black humor plus a bit of romance."

"The budget of $25 million is big for the times that we live in, but this is a Jackie Chan film," Yu Dong, prexy of co-investor and distributor PolyBona, told Daily Variety.

Jackie soldiers on (http://www.star-ecentral.com/movies/buzz/buzz.asp?file=archives/buzz/2009/4/9Jackiesold&date=4/9/2009&title=Jackie%20soldiers%20on)

Superstar Jackie Chan's next project after the now-in-theatres Shinjuku Incident will be a period epic entitled Big Soldier.

According to The Press Association, Chan is producing, scripting and starring in the US$25mil film, which the actor described as "an action picture with black humour plus a bit of romance".

He will play a veteran soldier while Wang Lee Hom appears as a young, raw soldier. It's a story of three people ... and a horse.

[GeneChing]

Go to the site for pics
Big Soldier Small General Begins Production (http://cfensi.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/big-soldier-small-general-begins-production/)
By cfensi

This is a week late, but I’ve got about half a dozen half-written articles, more I want to write but no time for, and thus nothing actually gets published, because I don’t finish writing one before starting on the next one.

Jackie Chan showed off his cast for his new movie “Big Soldier Small General” (with a script that he himself penned) at a press conference about a week ago. The movie is set during the Warring States Period and is an action-comedy road movie about an old solider who kidnaps the younger general played by Leehom.

I mentioned the possibility of this pairing a long, long time ago, when Leehom was simply offered the role, and was worried that I was getting everyone’s hopes up because he hadn’t accepted it yet. But I needn’t have worried, because Wang Leehom is Asian-American and there are few Asian Americans who would turn down the chance to work with Jackie. Besides Wang Leehom however, the cast seems extremely randomly picked…mostly unknowns without much acting experience.

First there’s Lin Peng, who was at the Beijing Opening Ceremonies as the teacher who lead the students. She apparently caught his eye there with her looks. In my opinion, if he wanted to choose someone in the Olympics for their looks he should have chosen the “conductor” in the Paralympics performance with the little ballet girl Li Yue. She was really mesmerizing and the camera was fixated on her as well.

Then there’s Yoo Seungjun, a Korean-American, who launched a very sucessful career in Korea as a singer, until he was to be sent into military service, and then he became a US citizen, and was banned by the Korean government from entering South Korea ever again. He then launched a singing career in China, although not as successful as his Korean one. I get when Koreans/Japanese are picked for Chinese films in order to market them towards a greater audience, but if he is banned from even physically entering South Korea, then it doesn’t seem he’ll pull in those foreign viewers. I guess Jackie Chan just really likes him because he’s got a 15-year contract with Jackie’s company.

And finally, there’s Xu Dongmei, who’ve I’ve mentioned was one of the top sixteen from Jackie’s reality show contest “The Disciple”. Jackie must like her too giving her a role in one of his projects before his top three from that show. She’s also as you may remember, starring in Le Huo Nan Hai as “the girl with the braids” (dubbed this until I know her character’s name in the movie). I think she looks cooler with braids, but she’s very pretty without them too.

The randomness of the cast worries me a bit. It seems as if besides Leehom, Jackie just took random people from his company and then watched the Olympics for inspiration, and thought, hey, she could work as my lead. Recently, Jackie Chan has been increasingly diving into new projects and forming new ideas, and I’m not sure how many of those ideas are truly well-thought out or just whimsies of his. Jackie, please don’t screw Wang Leehom over like Ang Lee did with Lust, Caution by giving Leehom a crappy meaningless role.

I also wonder at the casting, because it was originally said there were four main stars, one of which is a horse. Who amongst these people is the horse? Which star is not even getting the role of the horse? (there’s five actors here by my count). Ah…questions to ponder.

Ding Sheng, of the Underdog Knight, is directing. The Underdog Knight was dark and completely different from a Jackie Chan comedy so it’ll be interesting to see how this movie will turn out. Good luck to Leehom and everyone else in the cast.

Source (Actually the source for this is not just one, but a bunch of articles I read a week ago, bunch didn’t save and don’t remember. Sorry.)

[GeneChing]

I remember looking forward to the JC New Year's releases. Nice to have a fresh one.

* February 22, 2010, 3:12 PM HKT
Jackie Chan Premieres ‘Little Big Soldier’ (http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2010/02/22/jackie-chan-premieres-little-big-soldier/)

Jackie Chan is off to a lightning-fast start in 2010. With the year not even two months old yet, the kung fu star already has a second movie hitting cinemas: “Little Big Soldier,” his first film for the packed Chinese New Year season in nine years.

In what in all likelihood is the first Warring States Period comedy-action buddy road movie, Chan plays a soldier who captures a general (Wang Leehom of “Lust Caution”) from a rival state and intends to exchange his prisoner for a peaceful life as a farmer. The two develop a cautious friendship as they battle against common enemies.

Chan has been heavily promoting the Chinese-language movie — showing up at the premiere in Hong Kong on Friday night just a few days after presenting the movie at the Berlin International Film Festival. For Chan, it’s a fine display of his signature comedic-athletic style after his dramatic turn in last year’s “Shinjuku Incident.”

The 55-year-old actor had been kicking around the idea of “Little Big Soldier” for 20 years, and his mark on the project is conspicuously apparent: He’s credited with the original story as well as producer, executive producer, action director and, of course, star. His enthusiastic efforts appeared to have paid off: The movie has been getting generally favorable reviews.

“Little Big Soldier” follows the opening last month of the English-language action comedy “The Spy Next Door” in North America and some markets in Asia. That movie wasn’t as well-received, but fans can look forward to his next film this summer — a remake of the modern-American classic, “The Karate Kid.”

– Dean Napolitano

[GeneChing]

Asia gets this and Shinjuku Incident (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=881). America gets The Spy Next Door (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=870). :rolleyes:
Review: 'Little Big Soldier' innovative starring vehicle for Jackie Chan (http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9950917)
By MIN LEE AP Entertainment Writer
HONG KONG February 26, 2010 (AP)

We've seen Jackie Chan, the nimble action hero who takes down the bad guys. Enter Jackie Chan, the timid soldier who will do anything to avoid fighting, even using a prop arrow and artificial blood to fake his death during major battles.

In the veteran action star's new Chinese-language release, "Little Big Soldier," Chan plays a farmer-turned-reluctant soldier in ancient China whose survival strategy is feigning injury.

After escaping unscathed from another battle through trickery, he stumbles upon his biggest prize — a surviving general from a rival state. The general becomes his hostage — the hope being that turning in the wounded soldier to the king of his state will win him riches and exemption from military duty.

The treacherous journey back to the farmer's home state, fending off assassins and indigenous bandits, and the comical interplay between Chan's happy-go-lucky farmer and the fearless, snobbish general who looks down on his opportunistic kidnapper drives the 96-minute film.

At first glance, Chan and co-star, singer Leehom Wang are hopelessly miscast. How can the world's biggest ethnic Chinese star pass for a small-time soldier? And how can a Chinese-American pop sensation raised in Rochester, New York and known for his good looks convincingly play a brash general from ancient China?

Wang's portrayal is indeed tenuous — he still speaks Chinese with a noticeable American accent. But Chan shines in his offbeat role, bringing a lovable folksiness to his lowly character. He's infectiously carefree and upbeat, putting a positive spin on the most desperate of situations. "Things are going pretty well" is his mantra.

And the chemistry between Chan and Wang is obvious, their awkward attempts to thwart their attackers reminiscent of Chan's successful comic pairings with Chris Tucker in the "Rush Hour" series and Owen Wilson in "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights." The biggest running joke is the farmer's utter lack of kung fu prowess. Chan is shown pointlessly waving his wooden baton when facing down more competent opponents.

The two leading men are helped by the superb and tightly written script by Chinese director Ding Sheng, who beautifully teases out the personalities and personal histories of the two characters.

"Little Big Soldier" also reinforces Chan's trend of taking greater creative risks in his Chinese-language work than his Hollywood productions, where he rarely strays from action comedy. It's his second innovative Chinese-language role in a row. In one of his darker roles of late, Chan played an illegal Chinese immigrant who becomes a hit man for the Japanese mafia in his last Chinese film, "Shinjuku Incident." In a departure from his usually wholesome image, Chan is shown committing murder and paying for sex.

Chan's new movie also shows that it's possible to be creative within the often-soulless genre of the big-budget Chinese epic that has come to dominate the local industry. Superficially, "Little Big Soldier" is another action-packed war movie featuring grand battle scenes set in the vast Chinese outback. Except it's anything but. It's a lovely story of friendship and humanity in the face of endless warfare and destruction.

[GeneChing]

You won't see me for a while? What about Karate Kid (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48261)? :rolleyes:

Jackie Chan says new war film 20 years in making, credits director for help

By Min Lee (CP) – Feb 19, 2010

HONG KONG — Jackie Chan says his new Chinese movie was some 20 years in the making, crediting an unknown director for helping him develop the story of the friendship between a soldier and a general in ancient China.

The veteran action star said at his hometown premiere for "Little Big Soldier" on Friday night he first wanted to make an inspirational war film two decades ago, but suffered a bad case of writer's block.

"I couldn't write a script that would last 1 1/2 hours. I wrote half-an-hour worth of material but couldn't continue, no matter what. So then I made 'Police Story,' 'Project A,"' Chan told reporters, referring to two of his films in the 1980s.

The project was kept on hold until he met director Ding Sheng several years ago. The little-known Chinese filmmaker has spent the bulk of his career shooting TV commercials before moving to the big screen.

"He's better educated than I am. He's studied history. He knew how to weave together my story and the characters," Chan said of Ding.

The result is a 96-minute drama set in ancient China when the country was split into warring states. Chan plays a rank-and-file soldier who captures a wounded general from a rival state, hoping that his feat will win an honourable discharge from his superiors. But the two develop a friendship during their travels as they fend off desperate refugees, a preying bear and an assassination attempt.

"Little Big Soldier" is Chan's first widely released Chinese-language movie since his 2006 action comedy "Rob-B-Hood." The director of his previous Chinese film, "Shinjuku Incident," decided not to release the movie in China because he was worried its explicit violence would offend censors, but it was released in Hong Kong, a former British colony that enjoys a special political status under Chinese rule. The 2009 release featured Chan is one of his darker roles of late - as an illegal Chinese immigrant who becomes a hit man for the Japanese mafia.

Chan, also seen in the recently released Hollywood action comedy, "The Spy Next Door," said his next stop is Shanghai, where he will shoot cameo scenes for "Shaolin" - a Chinese production about the famed temple known for its fighting monks. Then he will start working on his 100th movie, "Chinese Zodiac," in a shoot he said is expected to last until the end of 2011.

"You won't see me for a while," Chan said.

The 55-year-old actor also gushed about his multitalented co-star, heartthrob Leehom Wang, who plays the general. The successful Chinese-American singer-songwriter is now making headway in his acting career after appearing in Oscar winner Ang Lee's 2007 spy thriller "Lust, Caution."

"He's so perfect," Chan said. "If I were a woman, I would like him too."

I remember Rob-B-Hood (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41925).

[GeneChing]

CRI has one. Click video

Jackie Chan's 'Little Big Soldier' (http://english.cri.cn/6666/2010/01/06/1261s540400.htm)
2010-01-06 17:32:30 CRIENGLISH.com Web Editor: Xie Tingting

One is an old soldier who only wants to survive. The other is a young general who is aspiring to conquer. After a bloody battle, the two are the only ones alive. The story of "Little Big Soldier" is mapped out by Jackie Chan who had conceived it for 20 years.

---

One is an old soldier who only wants to survive. The other is a young general who is aspiring to conquer. After a bloody battle, the two are the only ones alive.

When the soldier finds the injured general, he decides to kidnap him and brings him on a long journey to collect a reward, thinking by doing so he will no longer need to fight a war.

The general, feeling insulted, attempts suicide but is saved by the soldier every time.

Somewhere along the way, the soldier and the general find themselves becoming allies in a fight against the real villains.

The story of "Little Big Soldier" is mapped out by Jackie Chan who had conceived it for 20 years. Chan told Sohu.com in an interview that he has talked about the story with many people. But director Ding Sheng was the only one who has translated the colloquial story into a screenplay.

Ding Sheng also directs the comedic road film, starring Jackie Chan as the soldier and Lee-Hom Wang as the general.

Jackie Chan, who supervises the production, says the film is about lives during wartime and is a strong message that peace is priceless.

"Little Big Soldier"
Director: Ding Sheng
Cast: Jackie Chan, Lee-Hom Wang, Yoo Seung-Jun, Lin Peng, Xu Dongmei, Wu Yue
Genre: Action/Adventure/Comedy
Release Date (Chinese mainland): February 14, 2010

[GeneChing]

It was only $5 on DVD-9 format. I need to get another DVD-9 player. Those always crap out after a few months - that's why they're so cheap.

Review: 'Little Big Soldier' innovative for Chan (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jP2t0ZsM83bhpEvZftilkaYQKZ6QD9E3MF302)
By MIN LEE (AP) – 5 days ago

HONG KONG — We've seen Jackie Chan, the nimble action hero who takes down the bad guys. Enter Jackie Chan, the timid soldier who will do anything to avoid fighting, even using a prop arrow and artificial blood to fake his death during major battles.

In the veteran action star's new Chinese-language release, "Little Big Soldier," Chan plays a farmer-turned-reluctant soldier in ancient China whose survival strategy is feigning injury.

After escaping unscathed from another battle through trickery, he stumbles upon his biggest prize — a surviving general from a rival state. The general becomes his hostage — the hope being that turning in the wounded soldier to the king of his state will win him riches and exemption from military duty.

The treacherous journey back to the farmer's home state, fending off assassins and indigenous bandits, and the comical interplay between Chan's happy-go-lucky farmer and the fearless, snobbish general who looks down on his opportunistic kidnapper drives the 96-minute film.

At first glance, Chan and co-star, singer Leehom Wang are hopelessly miscast. How can the world's biggest ethnic Chinese star pass for a small-time soldier? And how can a Chinese-American pop sensation raised in Rochester, New York and known for his good looks convincingly play a brash general from ancient China?

Wang's portrayal is indeed tenuous — he still speaks Chinese with a noticeable American accent. But Chan shines in his offbeat role, bringing a lovable folksiness to his lowly character. He's infectiously carefree and upbeat, putting a positive spin on the most desperate of situations. "Things are going pretty well" is his mantra.

And the chemistry between Chan and Wang is obvious, their awkward attempts to thwart their attackers reminiscent of Chan's successful comic pairings with Chris Tucker in the "Rush Hour" series and Owen Wilson in "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights." The biggest running joke is the farmer's utter lack of kung fu prowess. Chan is shown pointlessly waving his wooden baton when facing down more competent opponents.

The two leading men are helped by the superb and tightly written script by Chinese director Ding Sheng, who beautifully teases out the personalities and personal histories of the two characters.

"Little Big Soldier" also reinforces Chan's trend of taking greater creative risks in his Chinese-language work than his Hollywood productions, where he rarely strays from action comedy. It's his second innovative Chinese-language role in a row. In one of his darker roles of late, Chan played an illegal Chinese immigrant who becomes a hit man for the Japanese mafia in his last Chinese film, "Shinjuku Incident." In a departure from his usually wholesome image, Chan is shown committing murder and paying for sex.

Chan's new movie also shows that it's possible to be creative within the often-soulless genre of the big-budget Chinese epic that has come to dominate the local industry. Superficially, "Little Big Soldier" is another action-packed war movie featuring grand battle scenes set in the vast Chinese outback. Except it's anything but. It's a lovely story of friendship and humanity in the face of endless warfare and destruction.

[GeneChing]

This article is dated, but oh well. I haven't found a good online box office results source for Asia yet.

Opening on Sunday?
Feb 19, 2010
Jackie Chan rules box office (http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_492429.html)

DESPITE opening only on Sunday, Jackie Chan's Little Big Soldier was among the top three movies at the local box office over the Chinese New Year long weekend.

The period drama starring Chan and Wang Lee Hom has made $900,000 as at Tuesday, coming in just behind Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief and Valentine's Day, both of which opened last Thursday.

20th Century Fox's Percy Jackson came in tops with $1.57 million in receipts. The movie, based on a series of best-selling fantasy novels, tells the story of Percy, the teenage son of mythical sea god Poseidon.

A 20th Century Fox spokesman says: 'The long holiday weekend provided us with the widest demographic possible for Percy Jackson, which appeals to families, teens and young adults.'

Valentine's Day, Warner Bros' star-studded romantic comedy, took almost $917,000 to come in second place.

The movie from the director of Pretty Woman (1990), Garry Marshall, is about the romantic entanglements of a group of people living in Los Angeles. Its stellar cast includes Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Patrick Dempsey, Jennifer Garner, Jamie Foxx and Jessica Alba.