May 18, 2022 10:30am PT
WellGo USA Buys Soi Cheangs Walled In for North American Release
By Patrick Frater
Media Asia
Soi Cheangs Twilight of The Warriors: Walled In has been licensed to WellGo USA for North American release. The deal with Hong Kongs Media Asia marks a rare advanced-sale of a commercial Cantonese-language movie in a market that has recently been marked by uncertainty.
The action thriller is a live-action adaptation of the cult manga series City of Darkness that is set in the 1980s inside the almost lawless Kowloon Walled City.
With a stellar cast headlined by Louis Koo (Election), Sammo Hung (Ip Man) and Richie Jen (Trivisa), the film recently completed production and is now in post-production. Media Asia is now planning a release at an unspecified date in 2023.
This is our first physical international market since the pandemic. And we are thrilled that things are getting back on track again, said Frederick Tsui, Media Asias GM, head of sales and international co-productions. The teaser promo that were showing in the Cannes Market has also sparked interest from many buyers, with offers already coming in from major territories including France, Germany, Japan, Korea and Singapore.
Soi Cheang (aka Cheang Pou-soi) is one of Asias top action directors, with credits including the Monkey King series, Limbo, SPL II: A Time for Consequences, Motorway and Accident.
The film is produced by equally illustrious John Chong (Infernal Affairs series, Initial D) and Wilson Yip Wai-Shun (Ip Man film series, Flashpoint).
Media Asia, one of Hong Kongs premier studios, is also using its return to in-person festivals and sales events to give a market screening in Cannes to Tales From the Occult, a psycho-horror film jointly directed by Fruit Chan, Fung Chih Chiang and Wesley Hoi.