Chinese director Zhang Jizhong recently said he is planning to
launch a public selection of leading actors for his new version of
the "Monkey King" TV series.
Zhang Jizhong told a journalist with the West China City
Daily that funds have been in right place for the TV series,
but that he still has trouble finding suitable actors. Thus, he
plans to select the four leading characters from the public around
July or August.
The new TV series is budgeted at 100 million yuan (US$12.99
million). It is thus the most expensive Chinese TV series to
date.
The four leading characters include: Sun Wukong the Monkey King,
Zhu Bajie the Pig, Sha Seng the Sand Monk with the big-beard, and
their master, the Tang Monk, Xuan Zang.
Zhang Jizhong suggests that the actor wanting to play the role
of Sun Wukong should be around 1.6 meters high.
As China's top authority for radio, film and television has
formally banned all film and television shootings at natural
reserves and scenic areas, Zhang Jizhong plans to build a
Monkey-King themed park as the location for shooting.
When the shooting is finished, the park will be opened to the
public.
Zhang Jizhong has also described his project as "a Chinese
Lord of the Rings", using the latest high-technology and
3D animation production techniques.
"The new version of the Monkey King will show the Chinese
magical hero Sun Wukong to audience in China and worldwide," he
said.
The "Monkey King" story, known to Chinese as the Journey to
the West, is a renowned classical Chinese fiction, the
allegorical rendition of the true story of the famous Chinese monk
Xuan Zang. After years of trials and tribulations, he traveled on
foot to the birthplace of Buddhism and fetched the Sutra, the
Buddhist holy book.
(CRI.cn May 6, 2007)