http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-07/26/content_12980418.htm

Tony Leung Chiu Wai portrays Yip Man, master of the Wing Chun martial art, and is seen in the trailer fighting against a gang of street thugs. It’s the first time for Tony Leung to play the role of a Kung Fu master but his performance has received much acclaim following the release of the preview. Audiences commented that, “Leung is very cool in the movie.”

The real Kung Fu master, Wang Man also said he was surprised after seeing the trailer: “I never thought Leung could be that good. The power of his movement shows that this is a person who can manage real Kung Fu.”

Director Wong Kar Wai arrived in Beijing to arrange the preview of the trailer. Xue Liming, spokesman for the movie, unveiled the reason behind showing the trailer prior to the screening of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”, saying that cinemas will upgrade their equipment for increased sound and screen light performance. “We want the audience to experience the best visual and sound effects possible during the preview.”

Xue also mentioned that the movie is set against the backdrop of the Kung Fu world during the Republican Period. There will be other Kung Fu masters and schools making appearances in the movie.

“The Grandmasters” also features South Korean actress Song Hye Kyo and Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi. It has been slated for a December release.

Xue promises that “The Grandmasters” will set a new standard for Chinese film.

http://www.chinesefilms.cn/1/2011/07/19/122s4073.htm

Click images to enlarge.

I would appreciate it if you would link to this post rather than repost the stills on your site.

Mandarin version:

Cantonese version:

Wong Kar-Wai was spotted outside of a Beijing theater and media members got wind of it and rushed over. It was learned to be a secret test screening of a one minute trailer for “The Grandmasters”. Audience members were overheard chatting among themselves afterwards about it and reporters learned that they had signed confidentiality agreements.
http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2011-07-19/01413362921.shtml

Fortissimo Films has sold Wong Kar-wai’s hotly-anticipated martial arts epic ‘The Grandmasters’ to Gaga Corporation for Japan.

Fortissimo is handling select territories retained by Wong’s Jet Tone Films, including Japan, Korea and India, while Fortissimo chairman Michael J. Werner is serving as associate producer and consultant. The deal was brokered by Fortissimo’s executive vice president, Sales and Acquisitions, Winnie Lau with Gaga chairman Tom Yoda and operating officer for acquisition Satomi Odake.

Wong said “In my conversations with Yoda-san and his team, I came to recognise the tremendous appreciation and passion that they had for my work and for this genre, we are pleased to have them introducing the film to the Japanese audience.” Yoda said: “We are very confident that we can push a new frontier for Chinese films in the Japanese market with this title.”

Wong recently completed principal photography in China on the $25m film which stars Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen.

http://www.screendaily.com/territories/asia-pacific/fortissimo-sells-wong-kar-wais-grandmasters-to-japan/5027263.article

The martial arts film “The Grandmasters” will be in the can in mid-May.

South Korean Actress Song Hye Kyo recently flew to China to complete her part in the film, according to South Korean media. Directed by Wong Kar-wai, the film is an biographical one based on the story of kung fu star Bruce Lee’s master, Yip Man. Song Hye Kyo plays the role of Yip Man’s wife.

The film also features other A-list stars, including Hong Kong actor Tony Leung and mainland China actress Zhang Ziyi. Director Wong, who is known for long shooting periods, started filming “The Grandmasters” in 2009.

http://www.chinesefilms.cn/1/2011/05/06/141s2967.htm

A new promotional still of Tony Leung as Yip Man has been released. Unfortunately, it seems to be a slight variation on the previous ones.

Twenty years ago it was Alan Tang who invested in Wong Kar Wai‘s film Days of Being Wild, which solidified his position as a leading director in the film industry. Yesterday, WKW accepted an interview and spoke highly of his old boss. “He has always been my big brother and will always remain as my big brother. In my eyes, he was healthy and always in good spirits. When I heard the news of his passing, it came as a shock to me.” WKW says that Alan Tang was a good boss and a good friend. “He was the first person who encouraged me to become a director. He would also take time to share his experience in filmmaking. My thoughts are with his family during this time.”

Rebecca Pan also took part in Days of Being Wild. She says, “I didn’t know him very well. However, because Lydia Shum and I are both Shanghainese, we would occasionally meet up with everyone, including Alan Tang and his wife. I remember having conservations with him.” She says that life has many strange coincidences. Just two days ago she took part in an event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Days of Being Wild. Now it’s hard to believe that the film’s producer and its biggest benefactor is no longer here.

Days of Being Wild was a film from the 90’s. Just prior to that film, WKW and Alan Tang had collaborated together on the film As Tears Go By, which was a box office hit. Alan Tang decided to invest $40 million HKD into both Part 1 & 2 of Days of Being Wild. However, the film flopped at the box office and Part 2 was put on hold indefinitely. Surprisingly, critics loved the film and it garnered numerous film awards, including a Best Director Award for WKW. Alan Tang once spoke of his investment in the film. “If I had invested my money in stocks instead, I would have been a billionaire. However, I never once regretted my decision.”

http://ol.mingpao.com/cfm/Archive1.cfm?File=20110331/saa01/mbd1.txt

Alan Tang died on 29 March 2011 from a stroke.

In an interview with Strikeforce’s website MMA fighter-turned-actor Cung Le said that he would be returning to film ‘The Grandmasters‘ in April:

Basically, I was in China in early October for a Wong Kar Wai movie called “The Grandmasters” for two weeks…On December 23^rd, I wrapped “Dragon Eyes” and came home for Christmas, and then left on the 26^th for China for another movie, “The Man with the Iron Fist” for nine weeks of filming. At the same time, “Grandmasters” was filming out there, so I worked a week on that film. It ended up with them wanting to expand my role, so now I’ve got to go back out to China at the end of April to do some more shooting. I’m getting to work with some big names. Wong Kar Wai is a big-time director out there, and Tony Leung, who’s like the Brad Pitt of China.

http://strikeforce.com/news/2011/03/cung-le-movie-star-or-mma-fighter/

On his Twitter account, he noted that he would be “Back to China sometime in April. I have a week of filming on The Grandmasters (2012)” and that “Wong Kar Wai expanded my part on Grandmasters.”

http://twitter.com/#!/CungLe185/