‘Golden Empire’ | Donnie Yen is a Drug Kingpin

[Pennywise]

Donnie Yen To Star As Chinese-Mexican Drug Kingpin In ‘Golden Empire’ – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Chinese megastar Donnie Yen is set to star in and produce crime thriller Golden Empire, in which he will play a notorious drug kingpin who hits the top of the most wanted list for both the U.S. and Mexican governments.

Yen will also produce the movie alongside Peter Luo, CEO at Starlight Media, which is lead financing alongside SA Inc. The pic will be English-language and will primarily shoot in the U.S..

The film will explore the complexities of the character, showcasing the inner turmoil of one of the world’s most successful multinational drug lords. Yen previously played a real-life gangster in 2017 pic Chasing The Dragon, in which he starred alongside Andy Lau. Producer Luo says that performance led him to believe the actor was the only candidate to lead Golden Empire.

“The talents of Donnie are undeniable and will be utilized in every imaginable way to bring this epic story to life,” commented Luo. “Spanning the continents of Asia, North America and South America, Golden Empire is really the first major narco film with an Asian lead that plays to global audiences. Showcasing diversity in cinema, while retaining authenticity, has always been a primary focus of ours, and this unique and fascinating story is representative of our mandate.”