[2026.03.18] HONG KONG ENTERTAINMENT EXPO OPENS

Louis Koo attends the Entertainment Expo opening to show strong show for show business
courtesy of on.cc

Chin Kar Lok admits that now familiar investors have been reduced, and mainland investors have increased. He believes everyone have to transition, accommodate and march forward with the times.

TVB Artists Training Class classmates Sean Lau (second left) and Michael Dao (second right) reunite after 35 years in NIGHT MANAGER. George Au (left) will play a new character in the drama and Eddie Peng (right) would play the five star hotel night manager

Leon Lai is unable to attend in person due to work but sends a video to show his support

Jennifer Yu (left) and Chen Bo-Lin (right) play a married couple in SEE YOU MY DEAR

Mei Ah Entertainment's focus new films include the Louis Koo, Ci Sha and Simon Yam starred MASTERMIND (left) and the Catherine Chau and Elaine Jin starred BIRD OF PARADISE (right)
courtesy of mingpao.com

Movies that were once known as "urban legends" have been released one by one in recent years, among which BACK TO THE PAST (CHUM CHUN GEI) has recorded nearly HK$ 100 million at the box office with remarkable results! Having made countless films, Louis Koo Tin Lok (Goo Jai) turned out to still have many starring movies waiting to be "resurrected", including THE DREAM, THE BUBBLE AND THE SHADOW (SHUI BIN JAU LIU DAI FUT), TRIER OF FACT (SAU KYUT JEH), MASTERMIND (JING JIN) and UNDER CONTROL (YUT SIN SUN GEI). Goo Jai could definitely be named the "King of Legends"! Reportedly MASTERMIND would be scheduled to be released this year, and a pilot poster would be launched at the film and television exhibition held yesterday.

Films such as BACK TO THE PAST and SONS OF THE NEON NIGHT (FUNG LUM FOR SHAN) were once known as Hong Kong's "urban legends". They have been released successively, and have received many nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards this year. Actually Hong Kong and mainland film circles still had many "urban legends", among which Koo Tin Lok, a prolific actor in the industry, has many starring works that are still "waiting to be screened", including the Wilson Yip Wai Shun directed THE DREAM, THE BUBBLE AND THE SHADOW, UNDER CONTROL that also starred Jessica Hester Hsuan (Suen Huen) and Louis Cheung Kai Chung, and TRIER OF FACT that starred Eddie Peng Yu-Yan, Philip Keung Ho Man, Chrissie Chau Sau Na and guest starred Raymong Lam Fung, and the Gardner Tse Kwan Ho, Emily Lo Wai Man starred MASTERMIND. Among them UNDER CONTROL already wrapped production in 2021 but waited for 5 years still without any release update. It would likely challenge PAST's "waiting for over 6 years to be released" record.

"Hong Kong Entertainment Expo 2026" was unveiled yesterday, Goo Jai, Chin Kar Lok, Crescendo Hung Cho Sing and Raymond Wong Pak Ming appeared. Goo Jai was not interviewed, and his film company did not make a large-scale promotional offensive at this year's Film and Television Market (Filmart). However the film he starred in MASTERMIND (JING JIN) is expected to be released this year, and has also launched a pilot poster. The film company that invested in the film has placed the poster in a prominent place in the booth, hoping to attract film buyers from all over the world and help the film open up overseas markets.

Before the release of BACK TO THE PAST, many online often asked from time to time when it would be released. After its launch at the end of last year, it won word of mouth and box office by a mile, and at this year's Lunar New Year even launched an extended version. Now its box office in Hong Kong is approaching HK$ 100 million. After BACK, the Goo Jai film the internet was the most concerned about had to be THE DREAM, THE BUBBLE AND THE SHADOW. The IP MAN film series director Wilson Yip Wai Shun directed the film. The two collaborated again after PARADOX (SAT POR LONG: TAM LONG), and many viewers have looked forward to it. The film once released its teaser in 2023 but has never had an official release date unfortunately. Earlier Goo Jai was asked when THE DREAM, THE BUBBLE AND THE SHADOW would be released, and he could not help but personally solve the mystery of its lack of release. He stated that the release was not the decision of him alone, but required many factors to coordinate.

However, the "covered in dust" for the longest in "legend" series must be the Tsui Hark directed 3D movie CATCH THE MONKEY (JAU HAU), which started filming in 2010 and starred Charlie Yeung Choi Nei, Yu Nan and Chen Xiaodong. It was a crime suspense movie, and has been said to be a remake of the Tsui Hark produced, Brigitte Lin (Lam Ching Ha), Joey Wong Cho Yin and Elizabeth Lee Mei Fung starred WEB OF DECEPTION (GAING WON GEI). Charlie even deliberately lost weight and got a tan for the film. When she was interviewed she even joked that she made CATCH in hopes of picking up some tricks for her directing debut CHRISTMAS ROSE (SING DAN MUI GWAI). Unexpectedly, now CHRISTMAS ROSE has been released for 13 years but CATCH remained sunken at sea. Charlie has also gone from being single at the time of filming to now being a mother. Active on social platforms in recent years, she would often shared life highlight. Earlier she shared photos of enjoying the movie NIGHT KING (YEH WONG), saying that the film evoked a lot of memories for her, including Leslie Cheung Kwong Wing's invitation to watch the premiere of THE BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR (BAK FAT MOR NUI JUEN), as well as past filming tidbits. She said, "I am used to watching all of the credits before leaving. This movie has brought back too many memories......I really miss the days when I started working on the set with everyone." Many fans have asked her to "make a comeback" to filming as soon as possible, and some online have also praised her for taking good care of herself and definitely had the conditions to fight in the film industry again.

The prequel to the COLD WAR (HONG JIN) film series COLD WAR 1994 (HONG JIN 1994), starring handsome men Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho) and Terrance Lau Chun Him, has attracted attention since its low-key start last year. The film's cast and crew would appear today at the Film and Television Market (Filmart) to promote the movie for the first time and preview the release date. Reportedly, this story would focus on a kidnapping case of a wealthy man before Hong Kong's handover, which caused financial turmoil; and the law enforcement agencies were torn apart due to power struggles. The soul character would traverse between the mob, the business world and the colonial government, as the operation codenamed "Cold War" was about to be launched. Reportedly the film would be scheduled for release on October 1st, and the extension work COLD WAR 1995 would be scheduled for release next year. Although many fans have been looking forward to the return of Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Ka Fai, according to the story timeline the two would not appear in the movie. As for Taiwan star Wu Kang-ren, his role was average and has been said to "level down" to supporting role.

Mei Ah Entertainment announced key new films in 2026, covering a variety of subjects such as family, technology, female growth and action suspense, among which SEE YOU MY DEAR (NUI YI 2), BIRD OF PARADISE (MA YEUNG NIN WA) and MASTERMIND (JING JIN) are all highly anticipated.

Jointly produced by Mei Ah Entertainment, Bingo Group, Sil- Metropole Organization and Umo Studio, the Lau Ho Leung produced, new director Jason Lee Tung Yuk directed SEE YOU MY DEAR would gather Asian male god Chen Bolin, Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Jennifer Yu Heung Ying and child star Hathy Law Hei Yi, as well as the Hong Kong Film Award winner Tai Bo, Albert Cheung Mo Hau and other good actors to help. Wing Shya (Ha Wing Hong) would serve as the art director and in charge of the preview poster, and the Hong Kong Film Award-level screenwriters Frankie Tam Kwong Yuen and Ashley Cheung Yin Kei would write.

The story would be about a couple after experiencing family trauma. The husband tries to "replace" their lost daughter with AI, triggering a conflict between reality and illusion and exploring the cowardice of human nature and the value of emotions. The trailer released yesterday features a near-dialogue-free design to create strong emotional tension. Director Lee Tung Yuk said, "In an era of technological anxiety, we try to use the mirror of AI to think about whether artificial intelligence brings people closer or blurs the boundaries of human nature. Through the life and death of relatives and the obsession with replacing it with technology, the film brings out the cowardly side of human nature - but it is this cowardice that reflects the most precious and unique essence of human emotions."

After watching the trailer, Yu Heung Ying was deeply moved as she recalled the warmth of the family during filming, the happy scene of interacting with the "daughter" and at the same time evoking the grief of losing the "daughter". Particularly memorable for her was the trailer's only dialogue: "When I interpreted that dialogue, I actually had a bit of accusation and heartache. Because my daughter has become a robot, my husband is addicted to illusions, I love them deeply, but I want to remind my husband what is real."

The film BIRD OF PARADISE and MASTERMIND would tightly follow in distribution. Among them, the Saville Chan Sum Yiu produced, Wu Chui Yi directed and written, Catherine Chau Ka Yee, Elaine Jin (Kam Yin Ling), Peter Chan Charm Man, Yeung Nga Man and Cheung Dik Man starred BIRD OF PARADISE was a winner of the 7th First Feature Film Initiative High Education and Institution Group that would explore the women's subject of "mothers can have dreams too" with humorous and warm brushstrokes. The police action movie MASTERMIND would be James Hung Ling Ching directed, with Simon Yam Tat Wa, Louis Koo Tin Lok (Goo Jai), and Ci Sha as the three heroes in confrontation and Gardner Tse Kwan Ho, Emily Lo Wai Man, Ben Yuen Fu Wah, Alan Yeung Wai Lun and others joining the cast. The story would involve a murder in a secret room, integrating action and gun fight scenes to create intense and suspenseful atmosphere.

The Chinese language version of NIGHT MANAGER appeared at the Hong Kong International Film and Television Market (FILMART) and announced the all new line up. This 12-episode spy war story adapted from John Le Carré's classic novel will be directed by Hong Kong Award Best New Director Chan Kin Long, star Eddie Peng Yuyan, Sean Lau Ching Wan, Isabella Leong Lok Sze and Carmen Lee Yeuk Tung, and will premiere on the mainland Youku platform at the end of 2026. The global distribution will be handled by FIFTH SEASON, Character 7 and Demarest Films will oo-produce.

The series was filmed in Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi and Phuket, creating a spy war feast across Asia. The story would be about Chen Tong (Peng Yuyan), the night shift manager of a hotel in Bangkok, who is recruited by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigator Fok Man Yee (Lee Yuek Tung) to infiltrate the undercover business empire of business tycoon Kwok Lai Yu (Lau Ching Wan), who is suspected of engaging in illegal arms trading, in an attempt to obtain core criminal evidence. During the process he and Kwok Lai Yu's girlfriend Cheung Suet (Leong Lok Si) developed a complicated relationship and put the mission in danger. Caught in the triple vortex of deception, morality and revenge, Chen Tong must face his past trauma and make difficult choices to change his destiny before completely losing himself.

Michael Dao Tai Yu has joined the show as Kwok Lai Yu's uncle Kong Loi Fat. Sharing the screen again with Lau Ching Wan after nearly 35 years away, the show can be called "Hong Kong drama youth memory killing". Malaysian actor Frederick Lee Ming Chung would play Kwok Lai Yu's right-hand man Lai Chi Keung; Hong Kong's new generation actors George Au Chun Ho would play his son Franco. Emily Lo Wai Man would transform into the key character Ah Po, who has an unknown past with Chen Tong and becomes the soul of the plot twist. The special appearance of Carl Ng Ka Lung as the shadow agent codenamed "Happy Joe", and the complex relationship between him and Chen Tong adds suspense to the series. Alan Luk Chun Kwong, Chu Tin and Elizabeth Tang To would play the ICAC investigators under Lee Yuek Tung, and the strength of the new Hong Kong star should not be underestimated.

Chin Kar Lok attended the launching ceremony of the Hong Kong Entertainment Expo yesterday and represented the Hong Kong Stuntmen Association to support it. He said that fewer familiar investors and producers would be at this year's expo, but the number of friends from the mainland increased significantly. He believed that this was a trend that the industry must get accustomed to, and it was also a time for the Hong Kong film and television industry to transform. It was also necessary to rely on the new generation of young people to undertake and keep pace with the times. Kar Lok was also pleased to see that members in their early 30s received awards at the Spring Dinner of the Association, which not only expressed respect for their predecessors but also symbolized the importance of handing over the baton to the new generation.

Regarding the movie "1941" to raise funds for the Association, Chin Kar Lok revealed that filming will start at the end of the year and announced that Louis Koo Tin Lok, Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Daniel Wu (Ng Yin Cho) and Charmaine Sheh Sze Man will participate. However Sheh Sze Man said that she has not yet officially confirmed her participation, and Chin Kar Lok explained that she might just be embarrassed to confirm unilaterally. He emphasized that producer Teddy Chan Tak Sum has always kept his promises, and has already talked with the actors about the script and production. The names on the list announced that day have met to discuss, as for Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Yuen Biao, Tony Ching Siu Tung, etc. they have also been contacted. Everyone would only be announced after agreeing. He stated, "As a member of Hong Kong, this is also a good thing for the film and television industry."

Chin Kar Lok pointed out that to be able to start filming the sequel to TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI) and announce a new movie at the same time were worthy of everyone to be happy about. He believed that if only small productions would be left in Hong Kong, the market would be unhealthy. Thus he agreed with what director Cheang Pou Soi said, film is an industry that cannot stand still with just one or two works. It must continue to develop. He added that he and Chan Tak Sumn have been making movies for 40 years, and his biggest wish was to reassure investors and do a good job in Hong Kong film brands.