Seth Rogen wants Stephen Chow to play Kato in his big screen version of The Green Hornet. As in he really, really wants Stephen Chow - the star of Hong Kong hits Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle - to play Kato in his big screen version of The Green Hornet. As in he wants Stephen Chow to play Kato so badly that to sweeten the pot he also offered Chow the chance to just go ahead and direct the damn thing. And Chow has said yes.
This will be Chow's first Hollywood film after a string of hugely successful films in Asia and only time will tell how well the Hong Kong megastar plays with others but if this works out it's really going to work out ...
I'm surprised he actually talked him into it.
Me too. This will be hilarious to see what kind of antics he gets up to and to see whether or not he can actually not be the prima donna that he's supposed to be.
Sounds glorious. Fingers crossed!
Wow, a piece of good news from Hollywood. This is amazing and I can't wait to see the result! I second the hope that Chow's Kato gets some juicy action to sink his teeth into.
The asian "sidekick" being more capable than the main lead was already beautifuly done in BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA but if they're gonna do this right then Kato definitely has to be the real hero this thing.
Think about it. Really stop and think about the material. That the Asian sidekick's the director just adds a pleasant level of meta to the whole thing, like Chuck Jones's DUCK AMUCK. Of course Chow's the hero here. This project was brought to Chow on a goddamn silver platter. I think Rogen knows what time it is - Chow excels at being cool and funny at the same time. And Stephen Chow is a very, very happy Sony employee. This reeks of the right team at the right time. This is going to bank, barring any number of entirely plausible scenarios of impending doom between now and 2010.
This sounds horrible, I'm sorry.
Rogen, a moderately talented flavor of the month, dictating film terms to a SUPERSTAR-level actor and director to star as a "sidekick" in another Hollywood franchise-starter comic book/superhero movie?
If done straight, this will be horrible. The only way it can work is if they do something different with the material -- be straightforward with the Green Hornet being the weak element next to Kato, completely re-envision the thing, etc.
Do any of you who frequent this board who consider themselves Asian film fans not see what I'm seeing or am I just being unnecessarily contrary?
I can't envision Rogen's films having the shelf-life that Chow's do.
One is just this decade's Adam Sandler but slightly smarter and the other is one of the major working directors of the world.
And the director is being the sidekick?
Rhythm-x in the real world that's exactly how it should be but don't forget we're talking HOLLYWOOD, that same world in which giants like Jackie Chan and Jet Li go there and end up playing almost second fiddle to a bunch of no-talents like Chris Tucker and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
I mean Jet Li in lethal Weapon 4??? Here's a guy that could literally wipe everyone off the screen yet he plays the bad guy who gets beaten by the white American " Hero". Why couldn't he have been a very competent cop from China who comes over to help with a case and show everyone how it's done, but noooo can't have that, can't outshine the american lead, that would be baaaad. And by teaming Chan with a bunch of american partners to make it palatable for american audiences shows hollywood still didn't get it.
The films these guys did in hollywood did raise their profile in north america but they always seemed a bit neutered and dilluted compared to their asian films and it seems they had to go back to China to be in better films.
I'd like to think that hollywood finally gets it but I'm always stunned at how stupid they can be.
Maybe this is the right team at the right time, I sure would like to hope so. But we'll have to see if Chow is THE star of this thing and if the studio will leave them the fuck alone and not interfere and dillute it.
All I care is which car will be the new Hornetmobile!!
I agree with Arch Station that Hollywood has a habit of enticing foreign talent, from either side of the camera, to the US and then stripping them of what makes them unique by shoehorning them into generic Hollywood movies. However I'm going to give Seth Rogan the benefit of the doubt. The fact that he's sought out Chow gives me hope that the movie is in good hands.
I too share the same concern but since Sony has been very good to Chow by offering the director chair, I'll also give them the benefit of the doubt, just as long Chow gets to call all the shot without getting creatively restraint.
I really wish Rogen didn't have the lead in this one, I don't mind him writing but c'mon he's too loud and fat.
Of course you have a point kenix, and you will probably mostly right about this one. If Stephen Chow is allowed to handle the material in any way he wants he could do wonders, he could add a very spot on ironic and fun twist to the whole "asian guy being side-kick of some useless american douche", but again, that would depend on Chow. There's a big chance he will just do some kind of Rush Hour/hero flick with some jokes here and there. We'll have to wait and see until some screens and trailers start to arrive.
*fingers crossed*
I too am unsure about Seth Rogen...