Journey to the West, remember this title, because we're sure you're going to like it!
Neil Gaiman has signed on to write the script for the upcoming trilogy of 3D films that will be based on the above mentioned classic Chinese novel. And this is something that definitely looks huge! Not just because we have these great names – Gaiman and top Chinese TV producer Zhang Jizhong on board, but because some other big names are involved in the whole thing as well!
Of course, when you see 3D you know who's the part of the story – James Cameron, so no wonder we already heard that Gaiman and Jizhong even consulted with Cameron on how to translate the 2,000 page novel into a trilogy. Zhang said:
“He (Cameron) has shown a lot of interest but he wants to see the treatment first. Obviously the more celebrated the director, the busier they are.”
And, according to Gaiman: “We have to do what Peter Jackson did with Lord of The Rings. We have to make it filmic, non-episodic. This story is in the DNA of 1.5 billion people.” That actually means that Gaiman will write “an outline over the next month that will attract enough investment to enable Zhang to hire the right director, the right Western and Chinese cast and the right team of computer animators to give the project a flight round the world.”
Or, as Zhang revealed: “My wish would be that half of the funding comes from China, and half of the funding comes from Hollywood, but I know most of the money will come from China since now it is so easy to get funding here.”
According to Variety “…the movie will be shot in English using a mixture of Western and Chinese thesps, though the production will be in China to take advantage of cheaper production costs here. Coin would come from local Chinese backers, and there would also be lots of intangible benefits in the shape of support from local governments in China.”
Check out a little description: “Journey to the West is a classic Chinese mythological novel. It was written during the Ming Dynasty based on traditional folktales. Consisting of 100 chapters, this fantasy relates the adventures of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) priest Sanzang and his three disciples, Monkey, Pig and Friar Sand, as they travel west in search of Buddhist Sutra. The first seven chapters recount the birth of the Monkey King and his rebellion against Heaven.
Then in chapters eight to twelve, we learn how Sanzang was born and why he is searching for the scriptures, as well as his preparations for the journey. The rest of the story describes how they vanquish demons and monsters, tramp over the Fiery Mountain, cross the Milky Way, and after overcoming many dangers, finally arrive at their destination – the Thunder Monastery in the Western Heaven – and find the Sutra.”
If you find this interesting, make sure to stay tuned for more updates, because we're definitely expecting it as soon as possible!
Journey to the West
