[2018.02.20] AGENT MR. CHAN AVENGES DAYO WONG

courtesy of singtao.com

Dayo Wong and Charmaine Sheh two nights ago attended an online audience appreciation event for their hit Lunar New Year film AGENT MR. CHAN

THE MONKEY KING 3 end credit Easter egg returns the Sand Monk to the Curtain Lifting Genreal!

Bai Baihe, Wuba and Raman Hui attend the Berlin Film Festival
courtesy of mingpao.com

In coordination with THE MONKEY KING 3 (SAI YAU GEI NUI YI GOK)'s fantasy special effect theme, director Soi Cheang Pou Soi and image consultant Yu Ka On put a lot of effort in character designs. Cheang Pou Soi said, "A special costume can help an actor get into character even easier."

Playing the Sank Monk in the film, the "Blue Man" Law Chung Him this time even had to wear a custom made muscle suit to make him look even bigger. Him Jai said, "That suit was very tight, sometimes after work when I removed it I would see my hands turn purple. Although the shoot took place in the winter, after every shot I was all wet inside. The crew had to use a blow dryer on me." Everyday he spent seven hours to put on and remove the make up. Since he did not want to waste time to remove the suit, go to the bathroom and put it on again, Him Jai did not dare to even drink a lot of water. However, in the end credit Easter egg, the Sand Monk before leaving Herland turned into the "Curtain Lifting General" and bid four servants farewell. Him Jai was able to appear as his actual face. Thus he reminded everyone to keep an eye out for this Easter egg!

Stepping into the Year of the Dog Lunar New Year film celebration slot, the Mainland and the Hong Kong film box office both had good news as each Lunar New Year film had its supporters. In particular in the Mainland the four Lunar New Year films MONSTER HUNT 2, THE MONKEY KING 3, DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 2 and OPERATION RED SEA on the Lunar New Year's Day had a total box office was 1.2 billion RMB and set a historical new high.

This year the Mainland Lunar New Year box office was something to be proud of. On the Lunar New Year's Day the Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Bai Baihe starred MONSTER HUNT 2 led with 540 million RMB. The Aaron Kwok Fu Sing and William Feng Shaofeng starred THE MONKEY KING 2 followed with 340 million RMB. The Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran starred DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 2 and the Zhang Kai and Huang Jingyu starred OPERATION RED SEA made 330 million RMB and 120 million RMB respectively. The total Mainland Lunar New Year's Day box office of the four films was 1.2 billion RMB, around 300 million more than the previous Lunar New Year and set a new high in the Lunar New Year box office history. After the holidays, as of the Lunar 3rd (18th), MONSTER HUN 2 led the cumulative box office with 1.2 billion RMB, THE MONKEY KING 2 made 500 million RMB, DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 2 made 970 million RMB and OPERATION RED SEA made 120 million RMB.

The Hong Kong Lunar New Year box office was just as successful, but the three day Lunar New Year holiday box office champion was the Hollywood film BLACK PANTHER. On the Lunar New Year's Day BLACK PANTHER made HK$ 4.9 million. In second place was the Dayo Wong Tze Wah, Charmaine Sheh Sze Man starred AGENT MR. CHAN (DUNG DUK DUT GUNG) and made HK$ 4.84 million. In third place was MONSTER HUNT 2 made HK$ 2.9 million. The Carina Lau Ka Ling and Simon Yam Tat Wah starred A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT (NGOR DIK CHING DIK NUI SAI) made HK$ 1.91 million. THE MONKEY KING 3 made HK$ 1.07 million. As for the Lunar 3rd (18th) BLACK PANTHER accumulated HK$ 28 million to remain on top, AGENT MR. CHAN made HK$ 20 million, A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT made HK$ 7.7 million, MONSTER HUNT 2 made HK$ 7.6 million, THE MONKEY KING 3 made HK$ 4 million, and the animated film FERNINAND made HK$ 3.3 million.

This year at the Hong Kong Lunar New Year box office, Wong Tze Wah came in second to the foreign film BLACK PANTHER but rid himself of his past "box office poison" infamy. Leung Chiu Wai battled his wife Lau Ka Ling and for now both A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT and MONSTER HUNT 2 made around HK$ 7 million with a difference of HK$ 100,000 or so.

MONSTER HUNT 2 officially appeared at the Berlin Film Festival Special Gala segment. Director Raman Hui Sing Ngai, star Bai Baihe and Wuba attended the premiere and walked the red carpet together.

Earlier MONSTER HUNT 2 held a media advanced screening at the Berlin Film Festival and the response was overwhelming as over 100 members of the global media and film critics attended. After the screening foreign media like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily gave positive reviews. Hui Sing Ngai after speaking with the foreign media could not wait to bring Wuba to visit the film festival central district and warm Wuba up for the red carpet.

As for the MONSTER HUNT 2 Berlin Film Festival premiere, it took place at the Friedrichstadt Palast. Wuba also with Director Hui and lead actress Bai Baihe entered on the red carpet. Although Wuba stepped foot in Berlin for the first time, because it had the catwalk experience at the New York fashion week it had no stage fright at all on the red carpet. The media also screamed "WUBA!"

After the premiere, Bai Baihe said that it was her first viewing of MONSTER HUNT 2. "I changed out of my dress and wore jeans to the screenings. This was the first time I saw the finished product, not to mention that it was at a special and elegant event like the Berlin Film Festival. I really am very happy that so many foreign viewers and friends would come to watch our film. I also hope that everyone would like my performance. Actually I felt that the director should share more with everyone, because he was the one who brought us into that fantasy world!"