[2009.08.06] TIN KAI MAN CONFIRMS JAY CHOU AS KATO?

Since Columbia Pictures announced its GREEN HORNET remake, Stephen Chow Sing Chi's part as the film's director and actor has caught media attention. After over a year, while the film has been scheduled for a release new year its production has not started yet. After Chow Sing Chi resigned as a director, last mont he also bid farewell to the role of Kato and the film company had to find another actor. Yesterday the media found on Chow Sing Chi's collaborator Tin Kai Man's blog that THE GREEN HORNET role has gone to Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun).

Tin Kai Man wrote on his blog yesterday, "The film company has already found its choice for THE GREEN HORNET. He is Chow Kit Lun." Later he very confidently expressed, "I have my ways! Actually Sing Yeh has never said that he wanted to be in THE GREEN HORNET, everyone was just spreading rumors. Now it's better, I said it and saved everyone from bothering Sing Yeh." As for why the film company chose Chow Kit Lun, Tin Kai Man on his blog revealed that in memory of Bruce Lee, the American company wanted to find a Bruce Lee fan to play Kato. At the same time this person had to have certain recognition. Finally Chow Kit Lun was finally chosen. Chow Kit Lun's manager yesterday responded, "I am not sure, I can't confirm." Tin Kai Man told reporters though that after the director completed PANDA MAN (HUNG MAU YUN), Chow Kit Lun will head to the U.S. for THE GREEN HORNET.

Meanwhile, GREEN's new director Michel Gondry reportedly was interested in Korean star Kwon Sang-Woo for the role. Also, Warner was interested in remaking Bruce Lee's ENTER THE DRAGON with Korean star Rain in Bruce Lee's role. In the new version, the Shaolin monk would be a FBI agent and the remote island would be an underground fight club. The English title will also be changed to AWAKEN THE DRAGON, with THE SHIELD's producer Kurt Sutter as its writer and director.

In addition, to commemorate the 27th anniversary of martial art superstar of a generation Bruce Lee's passing, Star TV released the first Bruce Lee classic Blu-ray video series, the first of its kind around the world. The first two films, THE CHINESE CONNECTION and FIST OF FURY will be released today.