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Wednesday - May 24, 2006

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent

Fingerprint Pictures, a production company set up by producer Park Hyung Jun (producer of Korean films Byul featuring Yu Oh Sung and Park Jin Hee and My Boy Friend is Type B featuring Lee Dong Gun and Han Ji Hye) has acquired the remake rights to multi award winning film A Better Tomorrow (originally directed by John Woo, Starring Chow Yun Fat) from Fortune Star Entertainment, the distribution division of Star Group. Star Group owns the world's largest contemporary Chinese language feature film library.

Fingerprint Pictures is currently recruiting scriptwriters and a director for the Korean remake which is planned for production in 2007. Fingerprint Pictures is also working with Fortune Star Entertainment to bring in a high profile producer for the project. Fingerprint Pictures together with Fortune Star Entertainment will handle the International distribution of the remake outside of Korea.

Fortune Star Entertainment General Manager Peter E. Poon commented, "We are delighted to work with Fingerprint Pictures, a renowned production company, to remake this classic title from our library, A Better Tomorrow. We are especially excited about the prospect of bringing this incredible story back to a new generation of viewers in Asia as well as the rest of the world."

Park Hyung Jun stated, "We are thrilled and honored to have acquired the rights to remake one of the most prestigious films in Hong Kong's history. This remake represents a landmark cooperation between the film industries of Hong Kong and Korea, and we look very much forward to bringing this wonderful story to new audiences everywhere."

A Better Tomorrow tells the story of two brothers: one a successful counterfeiter and the younger a fledgling police academy graduate. The plot revolves around the conflict caused by the younger sibling learning about his brother's criminal lifestyle. Meanwhile, the older sibling is struggling to change his evil ways. Along the way are a number of action-packed heists, double-crosses and shootouts.

In 1986, A Better Tomorrow won awards for Best Film and Best Actor (Chow Yun Fat) at the 6th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards and for Best Director (John Woo), Best Actor (Ti Lung), Best Cinematography (Horace Wong Wing Hang) and Best Sound Recording at the 23rd Annual Golden Horse Awards. The remake deal was negotiated and closed by Mr. Thomas Mok, AVP Business Affairs, Ms. May Yip, Head of Distribution and Ms. Esther Hau for Fortune Star Entertainment and Mr. Park Hyung Jun, Mr. Benjamin Kyoungtae Kim, Head of International Business and Mr. Kang Tae-Woo for Fingerprint Pictures.

Fortune Star Entertainment is the feature film and television programming, production, and distribution division of Star TV for the Chinese Market.. Fortune Star distributes the world's largest contemporary Chinese language feature film library, including over 600 titles featuring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, and renowned filmmakers John Woo, Yuen Woo Ping and Ronny Yu. Fortune Star also distributes Star's television library of over 20,000 hours of top-rated Indian and Chinese programming. Fortune Star produces feature films and high-definition movies and will be developing new content businesses including wireless platform.

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Actually, Andy Lau is also in a remake of this one too and Stephen Fung will be the director.

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HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong heartthrob
Andy Lau will star in a remake of classic action film "Story of a Discharged Prisoner", his company announced.

The remake of the 1967 movie, which inspired John Woo's 1986 cult classic "A Better Tomorrow", is expected to cost five million US dollars to make. It will be produced by Lau's production company, Focus Films.

The movie will be directed by Stephen Fung of "House of Fury" and "Enter The Phoenix", a spokesperson for Focus Films said.

"We are at an early stage of development. We don't have a script yet but Andy likes the story and we will develop the story along the line," she said.

The company will showcase the project at Cannes Film Festival which opens next Wednesday.

"We will be looking at the market feedback and reaction from buyers and then see how we can make the film," the spokesperson said, adding the company is also seeking a co-producer.

"Story of a Discharged Prisoner" tells the story of a reforming ex-gangster who tries to reconcile with his estranged brother.