'Monkey King 3' full of fun, beauties & visual effects

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, April 16, 2017

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A new poster released for "Monkey King 3" on April 15, 2017. [Photo/ China.org.cn]

Next year's major production, "The Monkey King 3", will treat audiences to hundreds of eye-pleasing beautiful ladies and stunning visual effects, as well as a feast of great fun.

Yet another film based on the 16th-century Chinese fantasy classic, "Journey to the West", it represents the third installment of a franchise created by director Cheang Pou-soi and produced by Filmko Entertainment in collaboration with dozens of other investors.

The director attended a cocktail party in Beijing on Saturday night, with a star-studded cast led by Aaron Kwok, Zhao Liying, Feng Shaofeng, Xiao Shenyang, Him Law, Lin Chi-ling, Kingdom Yuen and Pan Binlong, the day before they would tread the red carpet at the 7th Beijing International Film Festival.

Cheang also revealed behind-the-scenes footage of "The Monkey King 3," which has almost completed shooting, and will soon enter post-production, to show the vast scope of the production. A cast and crew nearly 1,000-strong visited four provinces to shoot scenes, while the production team has constructed massive outdoor sets covering 80,000 square meters as well as eleven indoor sets.

Thousands of staff will also be hired to work on post-production. The director described it as the biggest "tent-pole production" in his career, if not the biggest in Chinese film history to date. The film's budget is reportedly 500 million yuan (US$72.63 million).

"Monkey King 3" is adapted by screen writer Wen Ning from a chapter in "Journey to the West," depicting an exotic kingdom inhabited solely by women. The woman ruler falls in love with the monk Tang Xuanzang, who on a mission from China to India with his three magical companions to collect Buddhist sutras.

Its Chinese film title is literally "The Monkey King 3: Kingdom of Women." Due to the storyline, it has earned the title on the internet of "the film with the most beautiful actresses".

Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok will reprise his role of Monkey King, despite revealing that he had previously suffer an allergic skin reaction from the monkey make-up, which was very hard for him.

He said the new installment would involve much fun, allowing him to explore another relatively relaxed side of the most iconic fictional monkey in Chinese history. Lin Chi-ling, the top model and actress, agreed with the fun aspect, adding that the heavy make-up she wears will ensure nobody recognizes her anymore.

Despite receiving mixed reviews, the previous two "Monkey King" episodes grossed more than 1 billion yuan (US$150 million) each at the box office during the prime Spring Festival season in 2014 and 2016.

Adding to the delight of the creators, "The Monkey King 2" won two awards of Best Visual Effects and Best Costume and Make-up Design at the 36th Hong Kong Film Awards held on April 9.

"The Monkey King 3" is also slated for release during the 2018 Spring Festival.