[2012.05.06] JOHN WOO IS REPORTEDLY RECOVERING FROM THROAT CANCER IN THE U.S.

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of takungpao.com

Yesterday a Mainland report claimed that the 66 year old director John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) is receiving treatment for throat cancer in the U.S. and will not be able to return to work until the end of the year.  His production LOVE AND LET LOVE with Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen that was originally scheduled to start in April has been postponed indefinitely.  The leads also have moved on to other films.

Ng Yu Sum also had two new film projects unveiled at this year's Cannes Film Festival, his remake of Japanese director Seijun Suzuki's YOUTH OF THE BEAST, DAY OF THE BEAST and his production of the new KILLER (DIP HUET SEUNG HUNG) with Korean director John H. Lee.  Yet reporters suddenly learned from insiders that while preparing for LOVE AND LET LOVE he suddenly felt ill and was hospitalized.  Now he has been in an U.S. hospital for four months supposedly for throat cancer, but heart condition or pancreas problem has also been rumored.  In early April, LOVE's team confirmed that Ng Yu Sum was ailing and the film would postpone its production.  Thus the leads Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen also began other jobs.  A friend of Ng Yu Sum's official producer Terence Chang Ka Chun revealed that Ng Yu Sum did not have a heart problem.  Currently he is recovering in the U.S. and his condition is more optimistic than initially.  The soonest he will be able to return will be the end of the year.