(PCM) Netflix has announced plans to release Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend, their first original feature film next summer on Netflix and in select global IMAX theaters, on August 28, 2015.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend, or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny depending on where you look, follows the same themes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon while telling its own story of lost love, young love, a legendary sword and one last opportunity at redemption.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II is based on the fifth book in Wang Du Lu’s Crane-Iron Pentalogy, Silver Vase, Iron Knight; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was based on the fourth installment in the series.
Ang Lee, the Academy Award-winning director of the first film, is not involved in the sequel. Instead, veteran director (Tai-Chi Master, True Legend) and renowned martial arts choreographer (The Matrix, Kill Bill) Woo-ping Yuen is directing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend from the screenplay by John Fusco (Hidalgo, The Forbidden Kingdom).
Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies) reprises her role as Yu Shu-Lien for the sequel. Donnie Yen (Ip Man, Blade II), Harry Shum Jr. (TV’s “Glee,” Step Up 2: The Streets), Jason Scott Lee (Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Lilo & Stitch), Roger Yuan (Skyfall, X-Men: First Class), Eugenia Yuan (Memoirs of a Geisha, The Eye 2), and newcomer Natasha Liu Bordizzo also star in the film.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend will stream on Netflix and open in select global IMAX theaters on August 28, 2015 in an unprecedented move that has angered two of the largest theater chains in the U.S., Regal and Cinemark.
In response to Netflix’s move, Regal and Cinemark have announced that they will not be screening the film in their IMAX theaters.
Cinemark spokesman James Meredith said, “Cinemark does not play day-and-date movie releases on any of our screens including the IMAX screens that we operate.”
Russ Nunley, spokesman for Regal, taking the same stance as Meredith said, “While a home video release may be simultaneously performing in certain IMAX locations, at Regal we will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3-inch wide on a smart phone. We believe the choice for truly enjoying a magnificent movie is clear.”
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a huge success in 2000, grossing over $128 million in the U.S. and over $213 million worldwide and winning four Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Foreign Language Film.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend is currently filming in New Zealand.
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