'Looming Storm' star joins ‘Iron Sky: The Ark'
BEIJING: Chinese star Duan Yihong has joined the cast of ‘Iron Sky: The Ark', which has begun shooting at Wanda Studios in China.
Duan and Andy Garcia - who is also in the cast - mark the most prominent actors to attach their names to the cult comedy sci-fi franchise.
Garcia, an Oscar nominee for his performance in ‘The Godfather: Part III' who recently appeared in Dean Devlin's ‘Geostorm', will play William Russell, an Illuminati mastermind billionaire.
Duan, who just picked up the best actor award at the Tokyo International Film Festival for his starring role in Dong Yue's thriller ‘The Looming Storm', plays the Greenwood scientist Fang Mingtao.
Co-starring in the feature, from Finnish director Timo Vuorensola, are Lin Yi, Vivienne Tien, Rhydian Vaughan aka Rhydian Yue and German actor Udo Kier.
The third edition in the ‘Iron Sky' franchise has been shooting at Wanda Studios in Qingdao, China since October. The film has been set up as a Chinese-Finnish co-production and relocates the action to China, linking the ‘Iron Sky''s sci-fi universe with the ancient Chinese fairytale of Chang'e. China Film Co., Jiabo Culture Investment Co. and Jetsen Cultural Media Group are producing.
‘Iron Sky: The Ark' is set to shoot through early 2018 and is eyeing a early 2019 release in China.
Vuorensola's ‘Iron Sky' was released in 2012. The sequel, ‘Iron Sky: The Coming Race', is set to bow early next year.