Cusack and Li Head to Shanghai

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=39617


Source: Variety
November 27, 2007


The Weinstein Company has locked in Gong Li and is negotiating with John Cusack to star in Shanghai, a period drama the studio hopes to make in China early next year, reports Variety.

Mikael Hafstrom, who helmed Cusack in the Dimension hit 1408, will direct a script by Hossein Amini.

Cusack is in talks to play an American who returns to a corrupt, Japanese-occupied Shanghai four months before Pearl Harbor and discovers his friend has been killed. While he unravels the mysteries of the death, he falls in love and discovers a much larger secret that his own government is hiding.

Phoenix Pictures topper Mike Medavoy and Barry Mendel will produce, with Arnie Messer executive producing. Shooting will take place in Shanghai.

 

[Galactus]

Looks like Håfström found a favorite actor in Cusack.

 

[블라스]

Gong Li, marry me!

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=41619

Ken Watanabe Set for Shanghai
Source: Variety
February 3, 2008


The Weinstein Company has set Ken Watanabe to join John Cusack and Gong Li in Shanghai, a period drama that will begin shooting in China next month, ,reports Variety.

Mikael Hafstrom, who helmed Cusack in the Dimension hit 1408, will direct a script by Hossein Amini.

The film, which will shoot in Shanghai, is produced by Mike Medavoy and Barry Mendel. Arnie Messer is executive producer.

The drama, set four months prior to Dec. 7, 1941, follows an American who returns to a corrupt, Japan-occupied Shanghai to discover his friend has been killed. While trying to solve the murder, he falls in love and discovers a much larger secret that his own government is hiding.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=43088

Shanghai Filming Moved to Thailand, England
Source: Variety
March 19, 2008


Production of The Weinstein Company's period piece Shanghai is to relocate to Thailand and England following its forced exit from China, reports Variety.

Company co-prexy Harvey Weinstein considered Hong Kong and other Asian locations but said, "Hong Kong doesn't have the colonial era setting we need; it is difficult to find a building here less than 50 stories high. So we will be going to Thailand and, believe it or not, England."

The film is to be directed by Swedish helmer Mikael Hafstrom from a screenplay by Hossein Amini and will star John Cusack, Chow Yun-fat, Gong Li and Ken Watanabe.

Hafstrom last month learned that the pic, which was in pre-production in China, had been denied the shooting permit it expected to receive. TWC had spent nearly $3 million building sets.

Weinstein said, "The (Chinese authorities') decision has everything to do with not liking the script, especially elements about (Chinese-Japanese) collaboration."

Set in 1940s Japanese-occupied Shanghai, the story involves an American who stumbles across government secrets while investigating the death of his friend.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36410

The Weinsteins Move Forward With SHANGHAI



The Weinstein Company is backing two titles through its recently established Asian Film Fund. The first film produced with these resources, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, opens this Friday.


SHANGHAI will be directed by Mikael Hafstrom (1408) and will reunite him with John Cusack. It'll also star Gong Li and Ken Watanabe. The story is set in 1941 China - it shoots in May for a Christmas release (wanna bet that release date changes?)

 

[Gotham]

Were they not actively moving forward before? The premise doesn't sound bad, and they had already built sets.

 

[tzarinna]

This is really out of the norm for John Cusack, except for that falling in love part.

 

[DorkyFresh]

i do believe i'll have to see this movie. how i wish the Weinstein Company had the rights for Dragon Ball instead of Fox.

 

[Sebastos]

Nice cast so far, really look forward to this.

 

[Midnhtsun]

This one looks promising, i will def be putting this on the list of movies to see.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=45654

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Headed for Shanghai
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
June 4, 2008


Jeffrey Dean Morgan ("Grey's Anatomy," "Supernatural," upcoming Watchmen) will star in the Weinstein Company's period piece Shanghai alongside John Cusack and Ken Watanabe.

Morgan plays Connor, an American killed in Japanese-occupied Shanghai before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Cusack's Paul Soames sets out to investigate his friend's murder and discovers a larger secret that the government is hiding.

Mikael Hafstrom (1408) is directing from a script by Hossein Amini (The Four Feathers). The film is in production in Thailand.

 

[Hunter Rider]

@ "Shanghai" press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, August 2

 

[Hunter Rider]

First stills.

 

[Raiden]

Gong Li looks as hot as ever. But is Chow Yun Fat also in the movie?

 

[the_icon_007]

Gong Li is one of the worlds most beautiful women. I'll see this just because she's in it.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[Gotham]

All very cool new pictures. Nice find, Hunter.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[Eggyman]

I like Cusack - love 1408, High Fidelity, and Gross Pointe Blank.

He's getting a lil tubby, no? I don't normally notice things like that, but I was listening to the 1408 commentary and the director mentioned how Cusak wasn't happy with the wardrobe because he wanted to wear all black. Heh.

Just made me think, is all.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gif5xbcFd_Q

Personally I think it looks great despite the massive delays.

 

[Wolfwood]

lol I think it's time to remove your still Hunter.