I won’t deny it. I LOVE Ziyi Zhang! That woman has the most undeniable combination of pure grace and stunning beauty on the planet. She’s also a pure joy to watch move on the screen when she does action films. She’s so damn graceful it trancends description.
Having said that, I was really pleased this morning to find out that Ziyi Zhang has been oped to star in a live action version of Mulan! The good folks over at Comingsoon give us this:
The movie is written by Wang Hui-ling (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and forthcoming John Woo project The Battle of Red Cliff). It draws on a Chinese folk tale of a female resistance fighter who disguises herself as her father to take his place in battle.
Disney made Mulan into an animated movie in 1998, but the tale was first put on the big screen in a 1956 Chinese production. The new Chinese-language film’s budget is pegged at $20 million, with production scheduled for February.
Zhang has actually been signed on by the Weinstein Company to do 3 films! The second one will be a remake of The Seven Samurai. This girl is just getting started.
I think she’d do a terrific job. I lived in Japan for some time, and I was very impressed with her performance in Memoirs. Why dont we rate her on her ability as an actor, and not the land from which she hails?
I’m thrilled about Ziyi in Mulan. I’m a fan of her and the Disney movie, so I really hope this news is true. She’s gonna kickass.
And, I’m still smiling at noggin’s ironical name.
I agree with what you said Asianboy. Although the reason why some Chinese don’t like Ziyi playing a Japanese role is not so much because it’s a foreign role but because it’s particularly a Japanese role. The two countries share a voilent past and for some people a certain degree of animosity still lives on.
I’m Chinese, albeit overseas, and I don’t have a problem with Ziyi being in Seven Samurai. It’s actually exciting seeing her take on Hollywood.
there is nothing wrong with ziyi zhang playing a japanese warrior in ‘seven samurai’. wat is wrong with that? i honestly do not understand people, especially chinese who are soooo distraught over her playing another race.
what would you say if a beautiful, popular japanese actress played a chinese warrior? why would that be a problem for any actor? nicole kidman played a german and russian girl in movies. if these actors don’t do roles outside of their race, they would be out of jobs.
ziyi is popular, can act, do martial arts, and she’s sexy and graceful. how many famous asian actresses do you see in hollywood? rather than rat on her, why don’t you guys be happy for her.
and wat is up with these strict chinese with their belief that mainland chinese cannot become successful outside of china. stop being so ignorant and let them live. honestly. and by the way, i’m asian myself.
What’s wrong with Chinese people from Mainland China?
Ziyi Zhang or Zhang Ziyi, who fucking cares? I guess it’s all situational (is that a word?) If she’s doing a US film, I guess it’s Ziyi Zhang and if she’s doing a Chinese film (Crouching Tiger; Hero) it’s Zhang Ziyi. I dont know man, does that make sense?
yes, it is fun being a bigot. And i’m a proud mainland china hater!
If I could have it my way, I would kill Zhang Ziyi, Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou, and xiaogeng feng.
What’s your issue about Chinese actors noggin? You’re such an ass.
1. Mr Keen—It is Battleship Potemkin (which is really horribly boring minus the ground breaking work it does on montage and the Kuleshov effect)
2. I hope live action Mulan is a musical with a CGI eddie murphy as the same dragon…really it is just so I can hear a new version of “Be a man”
3. No one should ever remake Seven Samurai. Re-imaginations are good sometimes (just look at Magnificent Seven or the mecha-anime Samurai 7), but even trying to remake such a pioneering work is insulting.
4. I the the Wienstien Bros. should team with the Wachowski Bros. to remake the 2nd and 3rd matrix into NOT A PIECE OF SHIT……just give it a thought.
I’d probably wait for this to come out on DVD to see it. But who knows, the trailer might pull me in to see it in theatres.
I know she does. She’s accepted that people outside of Asia have a hard time with the reverse name thing. If my memory serves correctly, when Ebert googled both versions of the name, it was a close 50/50 split between the two, so like I said, it really has no importance whatsoever.
That said, I would love the chance to dissapoint her sexualy. Oh yeah, gigity.
Hey there mrkeen
Actually, Ziyi Zhang now does all of her material in this order now… including film credits
First or, and not nearly as important, but it’s Zhang Ziyi, John, I know it’s sort of been scrambled around so many times that it’s hard to know whats what, but the correct order of her name is Zhang (family) Ziyi (given). But that’s really trival and or no importance whatsoever.
What really grates my bologna is that someone would have the nerve to want to remake The Seven Samurai (not re-imagine like the Mag. Seven). What the hell is wrong with people? S.S. is one of the greatest films made. Why not remake Citizen Kane, or Gone with the Wind? Why not Roshomon or Battleship Potiken (gah was that the name, crap,whatever)? Why can’t people just come up with their own ideas and stop taking them from long dead filmmakers?
In the vein of Captian Copyright from a previous news item, I suggest a new superhero, The Original Thought! He’s really just a remake of the muses, but he’s a dude, so it’s totaly cool. Hollywood here I come! ^_^
Hey Noggin,
I was just wondering… is if fun being a biggot? Just curious.
~John
mainland china can go fuck themselves!
Zhang Ziyi, Ang Lee, zhang yimou, xiaogang feng can all go suck my dick! Mainlanders shouldnt be making movies.
I want that Red Dragon thing to be in Live Action Mulan, that thing was hilarious.
That’s very bizarre…does Disney own the rights to the story??? are they going to clearly market it as Mulan or something different?
Will it even be good? who’s doing it??? Tons of questions I have…very interesting indeed.
–RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
she’s a mainland china piece of crap! She doesn’t deserve any of the success and admiration that America has given her.
I do like her too but we seem to have forgotten something. She’s CHINESE. Mulan is a perfect fit but “The Seven Samurai”??? I’m sure there’s a Japanese actress out there to pull this one off. I know it’s a little insignificant but it pisses me off. Just a little.
If you liked the wimpy feminine looking character as depicted in Disney’s animated Mulan then you’re right ZZ is perfect for the part. My money would go to Michelle Yeoh. She would be believeable as a male warrior General-to-Be. I understand she’s also working on her own version of Mulan and both will be released O/A the sme time.
If they remake The Seven Samurai I am going to be furious, but from what I’ve read its just buzz the Weinstein’s are putting out, and it probably will not happen.
Anybody willing to play Thoshiro Mifune’s part in a remake is a douche bag, and no – it could not be interesting because there’s no way they could do a better movie.
You’re right John, Ziyi Zhang is so sexy that I’d swim an ocean of gasoline, with a lighted zippo in the crack of my arse, just to stand sentry on one of her turds!