Chow may not play Kato in new 'Green Hornet'
Hong Kong icon opens window to leave project entirely
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong comedian Stephen Chow said he will no longer direct the Hollywood adaptation of "The Green Hornet" and may not star as Kato, a character made famous by Bruce Lee in the short-lived TV series. Chow, whose credits include "Shaolin Soccer" and "Kung Fu Hustle," said over the weekend that he wants to free up time to work with Jack Black on a comedy about a superhero. "If I direct 'The Green Hornet,' the superhero comedy will have to be delayed for two years," Chow said. "The timing might not be right for a superhero comedy in two years. And I want to make a movie based on an original idea." I'm puzzled by what's going on behind the scenes on "The Green Hornet" right now. I can pass along what I have heard over the development of the project thus far, and then I guess we can try to make sense of how we're suddenly hearing that Stephen Chow is not going to direct the film after all, but he may still be playing Kato. Really? Why would he want to do that? I mean, I understand why he wants to play Kato. He told me when we sat down for the theatrical release of "CJ7" earlier this year that Kato is an iconic character for him because Bruce Lee played it. Details about that movie weren't immediately available. Columbia Pictures announced Chow's involvement in "The Green Hornet" in September. A publicist for Columbia Pictures didn't immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Chow said whether he stays on to play Kato in "The Green Hornet" depends on his schedule. The original series, which debuted on the radio in Detroit in 1936, is about a debonair newspaper publisher who moonlights as a masked crime-fighter along with his martial arts-expert sidekick. In 1966, it was turned into an ABC television series starring Van Williams as the title character and Bruce Lee as Kato. It ran for one season. Chow has worked with Sony Pictures Entertainment, which runs Columbia Pictures, for several years. Sony co-produced and released "Kung Fu Hustle" in 2004 and distributed his latest film, "CJ7," earlier this year. Columbia Pictures said in September that its version of "The Green Hornet" will premiere on June 25, 2010. Copyright (2008) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Inside Analysis
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupTallBoy66
December 24, 2008 at 4:20PM EST Reply to CommentAnyone get the feeling Chow is bailing on a sinking ship, or is that just me?
TallBoy66
December 24, 2008 at 4:21PM EST Reply to CommentAnyone get the feeling Chow is bailing on a sinking ship, or is that just me?
gregel
December 24, 2008 at 5:18PM EST Reply to CommentI think it's more that Rogen's vision is not sync with his. It was a tough match to begin with.
Funkmaster Fett
January 9, 2009 at 2:10PM EST Reply to CommentIt's a real shame that they couldn't keep Chow for a project like this. Kung Fu Hustle is one of the greatest movies ever made. He and Seth Rogen together would have been hysterical. Our loss.