Chow no longer directing 'Green Hornet'
Hong Kong superstar will still play Kato in the new movie
Fans who have been eagerly awaiting for Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow to direct a Hollywood movie are going to have to wait a bit longer. Variety reports Chow has bowed out of helming the new superhero flick “The Green Hornet.”
Chow, who has enjoyed some American success with his films “Kung Fu Hustle” and “Shaolin Soccer,” agreed to direct “Hornet” last September after he was courted by producer Neal Moritz and screenwriters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Chow also signed on to star as the Hornet’s sidekick Kato, a role his hero Bruce Lee played in the 1960s TV series of the same name. However, according to the trade, Chow has stepped aside because of the dreaded “creative differences.” Strangely, he’s still expected to stay on as Kato.
Inside Analysis
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. He wants to take his shot at defining a role that was played by pretty much the supreme kung-fu icon of all time. There aren't many roles that Bruce played that offer themselves up for reinterpretation, but Kato certainly works.
On a happier note, Chow is hard at work on “Kung Fu Hustle II” which is expected to go in front of the cameras very soon.
News From Our Partners
-
Ranking the Blockbusters with Summer Movie Scorecard 2013
RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Last Stand and Side Effects
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Star Trek Softer Than Expected at #1
-
The Telefile - Veep: The Episode's Best Insults
The Telefile - Saturday Night Live: Straight Outta 8H
The Telefile - Game of Thrones: Our Weekly Westeros Scorecard
-
'Star Trek Into Darkness' Takes Box-Office Crown With $84 Million
'Arrested Development' Gang: Where Are They Now?
'Star Trek Into Darkness': What's Next For J.J. Abrams And The Cast?
-
What to Watch Tonight: SYTYCD, Awkward., and the Finales of Grimm, The Game, and DWTS
What to Watch Tonight: The Season Finales of Rectify and Hawaii Five-0 and the Series Premieres of The Goodwin Games and Motive
Mad Men "The Crash" Review: Uppers Give You Wings!
-
'The Voice' Live Round Recap: The Top 10 Perform
Beyonce Is a 'Grown Woman' in Leaked Track
Ultra Music Festival Dates Announced, Tickets Go on Sale May 21
-
Heather Wagner: 'Hot In Orange County'
John Barrowman's Surprising New Role
WATCH: How A Frog Transformed Kerry Washington's Thinking
-
'Bates Motel' Season 2: Will Norman Go Full 'Psycho?'
FX's 'The Strain' Taps 'Alias' Star Mia Maestro as Female Lead
FX's 'Tyrant': Ang Lee Drops out of Directing the Pilot, Cites 'Life of Pi' Exhaustion
-
'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters': Jeremy Renner Never Read the Script Before Signing On
'Angry Birds' Movie Flies Forward
Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique: First Look at the Actress in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'
Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupWCG
December 23, 2008 at 11:20AM EST Reply to CommentI'd like to say that Chow was the only chance this movie had to be successful, but then again I just watched Yes Man come in at #1 at the box office, so does it really matter at this point?