[2011.09.07] THE VIRAL FACTOR JOINS THE LUNAR NEW YEAR FRAY

courtesy of on.cc

Kelly Chen Wai Lam and Joey Yung Cho Yi next year will work on the holiday film EIGHTH HAPPINESS 2012 (BAK SING PO HEI).  Kelly due to her family has not made a movie in four years.  When she did she was just a guest star.  This time she would be the lead actress completely because the film was very sincere, with 1 million daily salary and "three no policy" to motivate her!

Since AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (GONG SAN MEI YUN) seven years ago Kelly started to step into another step of life.  In 2008 she wed, in 2009 she gave birth to "Shrimp Dumpling Kid".  In order to properly take care of her family, over four years she rarely made any movie.  Even when she did, she was just guest starring in films like 72 TENANTS OF PROSPERITY (72 GA JO HAT), THE MONKEY KING (DAI LAU TIN GUNG) and voice work for the animation MONSTERS VS. ALIENS.  She rarely starred in movies.  Even when Eric Tsang Chi Wai asked earlier, she did not agree.

Yet most recently, Kelly decided to make the "come back" with the Raymond Wong Pak Ming's new holiday film EIGHTH HAPPINESS 2012 (BAK SING BO HEI) as its lead with hunk Louis Koo Tin Lok.  The film company Pegasus was able to successfully invite Kelly to join the production completely because of sincerity and money.  The film company with 1 million daily salary and "three no policy" that included "no late night shoot", "no harm to her image" and "no overseas" conditions tempted her.  Kelly would not only be able to focus on making the film but also taking care of her family.  The conditions were rather good.

Aside from Chen Wai Lam, Yung Cho Yi will also make the film.  Joey has always enjoyed new challenges.  The film company tailored a fully challenging character for her to try.  Reportedly, this character would get a lot of attention and have many scenes with "the strongest in the universe" Donnie Yen Chi Tan.

Wong Pak Ming and Tsang Chi Wai have both made Lunar New Year films in recent years.  Almost every Lunar New Year they would "face off" once.  Earlier Tsang Chi Wai said in public that he would like to make a film with Kelly for the Lunar New Year next year.  Now with Wong Pak Ming reportedly already invited Chen Wai Lam to join, he has successfully "stolen" "Lam".  Chen Wai Lam's manager Claudie Chung Chun said, "Chi Wai indeed asked Kelly to make a film but he didn't say it was a Lunar New Year film so he didn't fight for her.  Pegasus film company is also in negotiation with Kelly to make EIGHTH HAPPINESS 2012.  (The film company made a high offer to tempt her!)  We feel the script and the schedule would be more important, the most important would be accommodating Kelly to raise Shrimp Dumpling Kid."

Pegasus film company's Ms. Wong said about adding Chen Wai Lam and Yung Cho Yi to EIGHTH, "We are indeed in negotiation, but right now we don't have anything that we can announce yet."

Sandra Ng Kwan Yu has always been Wong Pak Ming's favorite.  Yet last year Kwan Yu took Chi Wai's Lunar New Year.  However, this year Kwan Yu will return to Wong Pak Ming's "embrace" and work on EIGHTH HAPPINESS 2012 in place of Carina Lau Ka Ling.  In the film, Yen Chi Tan will play a retired soccer player.  Chen Wai Lam will play a photographer.  Playing a spoiled rich girl in last year's ALL'S WELL ENDS WELL 2011 (JUI KEUNG HEI SI), Lynn Xiong (Hung Doi Lam) will play a vision impaired person.  To the former model the role will be somewhat difficult and she will continue to be paired with Chapman To Man Jat.  Yet because the script is still "under production", nothing is set in stone.  Also under invitation is the MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (GOO DOH GAING WON) rising Mainland star Yang Mi.

In recent years Tsang Chi Wai and Wong Pak Ming have been competing close at the Lunar New Year, but next year they will still keep on fighting.  Aside from Pak Ming's EIGHTH HAPPINESS, reportedly Chi Wai will also make a Lunar New Year film.  This year's I LOVE HONG KONG (NGOR OI HK HOI SUM MAN SHUI) showed off all of TVB's artists, viewers will have to wait and see what new idea Chi Wai would have.

The Dante Lam Chiu Yin directed Emperor film THE VIRAL FACTOR (YIK JIN) will also directly confront Pak Ming and Chi Wai's Lunar New Year films.  As for the Derek Yee Tung Sing directed THE GREAT MAGICIAN (DAI MOR SHOOK SI), it has been scheduled for a mid January release to first test the water of the Hong Kong film box office.  As for foreign films so far only THE MUPPETS has announced its January 19 Hong Kong release.