The long awaited Chinese martial-arts epic Battle of Wits, by Hong Kong director Jacob Cheung, will premiere across Asia at the end of November after ten years of planning and preparation.  

 

The cast including Korean "King of Film" Ahn Sung Kee and pop singer Choi Shi Won, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, Hong Kong veteran Andy Lau and Taiwan idol Nicholas Wu, unveiled two of the posters for the film at a press conference Saturday in Beijing as they shared their experiences of shooting the movie with the media and an audience.

 

The US$16 million project is a joint production by China's Huayi Brothers, Japan's Comstock, Boram Entertainment of South Korea and Sundream Motion Pictures from Hong Kong.

 

The film's story centers on a battle during China's historical Warring States period when the small Liang Kingdom defeated the powerful Zhao Kingdom under the guidance of a wise military strategist.

 

The film will formally begin the annual fierce competition for the New Year's box office following director Zhang Yimou's martial-arts epic Curse of the Golden Flower which has already earned much acclaim even before its scheduled premiere across China on December 23.

 

 

 

(CRI October 9, 2006)