High-budget flop bows out of the summer heat

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, July 17, 2018

Yang Zhenjian, a producer of "Asura," speaks at the premiere of the film in Beijing, July 9, 2018. [Photo/ China.org.cn]

"We thought, if we just want to make some quick money, and if our film industry doesn't advance to another level, it will be no good for Chinese films," Yang said. This ambition led him and more than 20 investing companies to come together to build a fantasy world that would live up to international standards.

According to Buddhist mythology, "Asura" is the dimension of pure desire. In the film, the Asura King wants to stage a coup against the ruling realm of heaven, one of the six realms that form the universe. The highlight of the film is the motion-capture CGI creation of the three-headed Asura King, played by three different actors, including Leo Wu, Tony Leung and Carina Lau. Other foreign faces, including Matthew Knowles, Damien Walters and Caitlin Dechelle also star in the film.

However, Yang didn't hire a renowned director to helm the project. He let Hollywood's veteran stunt coordinator and assistant director Zhang Peng take the director chair. For the producer and screenplay writer, to precisely manage production at this level was more important than having a wildly talented and famous director. "We needed an engineer-like director to make everything right. Zhang had experiences in 'Kingsman: The Secret Service,' 'Ant-Man,' 'Kick-Ass' and 'The Twilight Saga.' He's good," Yang said.

Not only that, but an 1,800-strong international cast and famed production crew from 35 countries and regions were also recruited to the project, including Oscar winner Ngila Dickson ("The Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones") as costume designer, as well as Martin Hernandez ("The Revenant" and "Birdman") as audio director. Charlie Iturriaga ("Deadpool," "Furious 7" and "The Social Network") was put in charge of the visual effects.

"At first, foreign heavyweights in making fantasy films couldn't believe we could handle this massive project," Yang Zhenjian said proudly before the film was released. "We convinced them with this and created something really special, which belongs only to the Oriental imagination."

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