The finale of China's blockbuster franchise "Ip Man" will show dramatized scenes of the legendary martial artist, Ip Man fighting in an American military camp.
According to the production company Bona Film Group, the movie is about Ip's famous protégé Bruce Lee, who opens a martial arts school in San Francisco but upsets the local martial arts community and is later challenged by some racists in America. Ip then teaches Lee how to defend China's national integrity with kung fu when the discrimination and bullying against Chinese people escalate.
A new trailer and a new poster were unveiled on Thursday, showing Ip goes alone to a U.S. Marine Corps military camp and engages in some kung fu fighting scenes there. The movie slogan on the new poster reads "Talks, OK! Fight, Anytime!" Ip Man is played by famous Chinese kung fu megastar Donnie Yen who also starred in the three earlier Ip Man films.
"Many audiences grew up with the 'Ip Man' series, and I grew up with it too. Ip Man represents the spirit and dignity of the Chinese nation," Donnie Yen said.
The film is directed by Wilson Yip and produced by Raymond Wong and joining them again, will be Yuen Woo-ping, one of the most successful and influential Hong Kong martial arts choreographers. Other notable actors starring in the film, aside from Yen, include English actor Scott Adkins and Hong Kong actor Danny Chan, who is known for his uncanny resemblance to Bruce Lee and has portrayed Lee in several films and TV series.
With three films under its belt and an upcoming fourth, the "Ip Man" franchise has been successful in China and around the world. In the first three films that aroused Chinese audiences' national pride, and enthusiasm for kung fu, the grandmaster fought against Japanese invaders, a Japanese judo martial artist, a racist British boxer and an American boxer with links to local Triads, played by the famous boxer, Mike Tyson.
The trilogy, plus a spin-off "Master Z: Ip Man Legacy," received many accolades and awards including various Hong Kong Film Awards. The movies in the franchise have made a total of $260 million in box offices worldwide, with revenues mostly coming from China. This amount does not include successful DVD sales all over the United States, Asia and Europe.
The first film was not released in North America, but the other three (including the spin-off installment) were screened there and "Ip Man 3" was the highest-grossing movie in the series in American market, raking in about $2.68 million. American film critics also loved the films and have given high ratings to each installment.
"Ip Man 4" is set to hit the big screen in China on Dec. 20, 2019, but nodate has been set for its release in the US yet.
Source: china.org by zhang rui