Jet Li set for much-awaited return in ‘League Of Gods’
BEIJING: After shaking off rumours that he is wheelchairbound, martial arts actor Jet Li is set for a huge comeback today with the premiere of the epic action movie League of Gods.
The release today through Bona Film Group has billed the animation-rich movie as a “Chinese X-Men.”
The action fantasy flick is directed by Koan Xu. Lending stellar power to the movie are Tony Leung Ka-fai, Fan Bingbing, Louis Koo, Angelababy and Xu Qing.
Audiences are expected to be amazed with the animation wizardry reminiscent of last year’s summer blockbuster Monster Hunt.
For Li, it’s his first movie role in two years. He had last appeared in the Hollywood movie The Expendables 3.
On his decision to join the cast, Li explained: “I watched Jacky Heung grow up, and now, it’s great seeing him become a star in his own right. He’s grown a lot in the five to six years he’s been in the film industry. Now that he’s the lead, we all lend our support.”
The story is based on Fengshen Bang, an ancient novel that is part of Chinese mythology. Featuring a group of unique superheroes, the film tells the story of how King Zhou of Shang becomes a tyrant under the spell of Daji, a vixen spirit
I watched Jacky Heung grow up, and now, it’s great seeing him become a star in his own right. He’s grown a lot in the five to six years he’s been in the film industry. Now that he’s the lead, we all lend our support. Jet Li, actor
who is disguised as one of his concubines.
League of Gods comes in at the tail end of the Chinese summer season that’s reserved for local films.
The creative team includes composer John Debney ( The Jungle Book), animation director Randall William Cook ( The Lord of the Rings), sound designer Brent Burge ( The Hobbit) and editor Wayne Philip Wahrman ( I Am Legend). Producers are Hong Kong-based China Star’s Charles Heung and Tiffany Chen. South Africa-based Distant Horizon ( Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Shepherds and Butchers) acquired international sales in Cannes.
Describing the plot, Li said: “Jiang Ziya is a character who uses words and cunningness as his weapons, so I didn’t have to do a lot of fighting. In any case, my health is fine now, and with advancements in technology, there’s always a way to recreate action scenes in spite of any physical impediments. Look at the film adaption of Transformers, they managed to get cars to fight.”
In a previous press event, costar Huang had commented that he suits the character of the three- eyed deity Jian Yang,
On his role as a tyrannical emperor, Leung said: “I have played many kings in the past. Although King Zhou was a tyrant, he was the mightiest one.”