Zhang Ziyi is starring in another wuxia (martial arts) epic, along side Daniel Wu and Majing Wu.

The Banquet has been described as a loose adaptation of “Hamlet”; it is a tale of fate and revenge set in 10th century China. A new Emperor has usurped the throne through murder. Zhang Ziyi plays the widowed Empress, who marries the new Emperor (Ge You) only to protect herself, but also secretly plots his death with the help of the Crown Prince (Daniel Wu) and the Chief Minister (Ma Jingwu). Yet the Prince and Minister each have their own plans for the throne, and, of course, so does the Emperor. All these intrigues are brought to a climax when the Emperor calls for a lavish banquet, where the murderous plans are set in motion.

According to director Feng Xiaogang: “If Hamlet is about a prince who must make a choice involving life and death, then The Banquet is about how each character must face a choice of life or death… All are motivated by desire, but as soon as they have begun their plans must grow more extreme, and they move step-by-step towards the abyss… They do not intend evil, but turn to it out of self-preservation and ever-growing ambition.”

With Yuen Wo-Ping as the film’s producer and action director, it’s surely going to be another great action packed film.

Zhang Ziyi was personally selected for the lead role by Steven Spielberg, who is the head producer of Memoirs of a Geisha. She will star with Ken Watanabe, Gong Li, and Michelle Yeoh in the long awaited movie adaptation of Arthur Golden’s bestselling novel.

Set in a mysterious exotic world, which still casts a potent spell today, Nitta Sayuri (Zhang Ziyi) tells the story of her life as a geisha. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house.

We witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup, and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men’s solicitude and the money that goes with it. Despite the treacherous Hatsumomo (Gong Li) who nearly breaks her spirit, the girl blossoms into a legendary geisha under the guidance of her mentor Mameha (Michelle Yeoh). Beautiful and accomplished, Sayuri captivates the most powerful men of her day, but is haunted by her secret love for the one man who is out of her reach, the mysterious Chairman (Ken Watanabe).

Courtesy www.helloziyi.us.

First rumored a month ago and the subject of intense speculation in China for the past week, it is now officially confirmed that Zhang Ziyi’s next film will be The Night Banquet, a loose adaptation of Hamlet by famed Chinese director Feng Xiaogang.

Zhang Ziyi will be playing the Empress. Her costars will be Daniel Wu as “The Crown Prince”, Zhou Xun as the Prince’s lover, Ge You as The Emperor, and Ma Jingwu as the Minister. The film is expected to have acrobatic fight and dance scenes reminiscent of House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Of Zhou Xun’s role it is said she will have an elaborate dance scene and will possibly sing as well. Ziyi is also mentioned as possibly having a dance scene. It isn’t clear if any of the actors will have an actual “leading role” or if this will be a true ensemble piece.

Composer Tan Dun and Art Director Tim Yip, both of whom worked on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, will lend their talents to the film. Famed action choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping, also of Crouching Tiger, will be the film’s executive producer.

Reports say that Ziyi was approached with the script while at the Cannes Film Festival. While she was not planning to make any more films this year due to her tight schedule with Memoirs of a Geisha, after she read the script she decided she would accept their invitation to participate in the film.

The film is reported to have a $15 million budget and to begin shooting at the end of September.

For full story and more info:

http://www.helloziyi.us/Movies/night-banquet.htm

Zhang Ziyi plays a raccoon spirit princess in this musical love-story by Japanese director Seijun Suzuki. Her character, Tanuki-hime, falls in love with Amechiyo (Joe Odagiri), a prince who has been banished from his father’s castle. The sets of the film will resemble those of a play on stage. For her role, Ziyi took two weeks of singing and dancing lessons in Japan. While her speaking part is in Chinese, she will sing in both Chinese and Japanese. It will be premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, then released in Japan on May 28th, and shown in the US at the New York Asian Film Festival June17-30.

For more information, click here.