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Fri/Sat/Sun Aug. 31~Sept. 2, 2018

Nicolas Cage named talent ambassador for Macao Film Festival

GLOBAL streaming giant Netfl ix has boarded Chinese series “The Rise of Phoenixes” from China’s Croton Media. It will be available on the platform outside China from Sept. 14.

“The Rise of Phoenixes” is a 70-episode series loosely based on “Huang Quan,” a novel by Tianxia Guiyuan. Directed by Shen Yan and Liu Haibo, the drama was co-produced by Netfl ix along with Croton Media (China Syndication), K. Pictures, Hao Mai Culture, iQIYI, COL Group and New Film Associa-tion.

Netfl ix pitches the series as “a story of power, desire, lust and

love among people from differ-ent kingdoms in ancient China, all with the desire of rising to become the Great Phoenix.” Ning Yi (played by Chen Kun), is the sixth prince of the kingdom who hides a dark past. Feng Zhiwei (played by Ni Ni) hides her true identity and has to cross-dress to survive in the male-dominated world. However, when a secret from the past rears its head, respected warrior Feng is forced to choose between revenge and her loyalty to ruling prince Ning.

Audience members in China can now watch the series on iqiyi.com. (SD-Agencies)

Netflix to air ‘Rise of Phoenixes’

THE Macao International Film Festival, holding its third annual edition in December, has named international fi lm icon Nicolas Cage as a talent ambassador.

Cage joins Hong Kong star Aaron Kwok as the event’s celebrity envoys this year. Orga-nizers said the pairing refl ects the festival’s “ambition to bring together local and international industry professionals, to high-

light Macao’s East-meets-West culture and to introduce local audiences to the best in inter-national cinema.”

Cage follows Hollywood actor Jeremy Renner, who served as a Macao ambassador in 2017. No stranger to Asia, Cage recently made a colorful appearance at the Shanghai International Film Festival in June.

Relentlessly prolifi c, Cage has

appeared in over 75 fi lms in his 37-year screen career. His next release, horror thriller “Mandy,” was warmly received by critics at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it made its world premiere. The fi lm opens in North America on Sept. 14 and will get a special screening in Macao.

During the Macao festival, which runs from Dec. 8 to 14, Cage will walk the red carpet

at the opening ceremony and participate in a master class Dec. 9.

“Nicolas Cage is a brilliant, iconic actor and a star for the ages,” said Macao Film Festival’s artistic director Mike Goodridge. “We are proud and delighted to welcome him to Macao this year as our talent ambassador, and to show his extraordinary new fi lm ‘Mandy.’” (SD-Agencies)

Jonas joins ‘UglyDolls’

ALEX BALDWIN says he has dropped out of “Joker,” the fi lm project about the DC villain star-ring Joaquin Phoenix.

On Monday, news broke that the actor was in talks to play Thomas Wayne in Todd Phillips’ “Joker” stand-alone movie.

In comic book lore, Thomas Wayne is a physician, philan-thropist and father to Bruce Wayne (the future Batman). Sources on Monday told The Hollywood Reporter that in a departure from the comics, the “Joker” script called for Thomas Wayne to be a cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump.

Baldwin is citing “scheduling

issues” as his reason for drop-ping out. But he also addressed the new take on Wayne.

The actor, who recently earned a second Emmy nomi-nation for playing Trump on “Saturday Night Live,” tweeted Wednesday that he had not “been hired to play a role in Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’ as some Donald Trump manque. That is not happening.”

Phoenix is playing the Joker, while other stars include Robert de Niro, “Deadpool 2” breakout Zazie Beetz and “Glow” actor Marc Maron. The fi lm is set to begin shooting in two weeks.

Warner Bros. has slated “Joker” to open Oct. 4, 2019.

(SD-Agencies)

Alec Baldwin exits ‘Joker’

NICK JONAS is joining Kelly Clarkson in the voice cast of STXfi lms’ “UglyDolls” movie.

The animated feature is based on the plush toy line by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim. Set in the adorably dif-ferent town of Uglyville, the free-spirited Moxy and her UglyDolls friends confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved and ultimately discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing because who you truly are is what matters most.

Jonas will also perform an original song for the movie, with the original motion pic-ture soundtrack to be released by Atlantic Records.

The animated feature will hit theaters next year and will act as the fi rst installment in an “UglyDoll” universe, which currently includes a kid series that is in the works at Hulu.

Jonas was last seen in Sony’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and is set for Doug Liman’s” Chaos Walking.” (SD-Agencies)

IT’S a “Crazy Rich Asians” reunion: Ken Jeong has set his fi rst-ever comedy special and has enlisted “Crazy Rich Asians” helmer Jon M. Chu to direct.

The star was most recently seen in the breakout hit “Crazy Rich Asians,” which earned a massive US$35 million in its fi ve-day debut and then added US$24.8 million in its second weekend. In total, the roman-tic comedy has earned US$80 million domestically in just two weeks.

Tentatively titled “Ken Jeong: First Date,” Jeong will take the stage to refl ect on his journey

from doctor to comedy star, and will open up about how his wife’s battle with breast cancer led to him starring in 2009’s “The Hangover.” The Netfl ix special will premiere in 2019.

Filming will take place Sept. 15 at the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, where Jeong fi rst got his start in comedy. Jeong will executive produce with Brett Carducci.

“I am thrilled to work with Jon again, and his brilliant cinematic eye will capture the energy and excitement of my fi rst stand-up special,” said Jeong.

(SD-Agencies)

Ken Jeong, Jon M. Chu team for stand-up special

LOUIS Vuitton’s fi rst fragrance fi lm campaign is brimming with top Oscar talent.

The short fi lm, set to debut Sept. 13, stars Emma Stone and was directed by Sam Mendes, who was assisted by Hoyte van Hoytema. It focuses on a woman’s journey in life and centers on the spirit of traveling, marking the release of its new fragrance Attrape-Reves, the ninth women’s scent in Louis Vuitton’s Les Parfums line.

The house hired top-tier talent to create the fi lm, including the Oscar-winning Stone, the Oscar-winning Mendes and the Academy Award-nominated Van Hoy-tema. But the lineup isn’t far-fetched — Stone has been an ambassador for Louis Vuitton since October, choosing a red silky ensemble for the Oscars red carpet and starring in another desert-set Louis Vuit-

ton campaign video in March.Mendes, the British helmer,

has ties to the actress through directing her as Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of “Caba-ret” in 2014.

“I am proud to unveil our fi rst fragrance short fi lm starring the incredibly talented Emma Stone. This marks another milestone to the success of our fragrance collection,” said Louis Vuitton CEO Michael Burke in a statement. Other brand fans include Selena Gomez, Michelle Williams, Jaden Smith, Lea Seydoux, Naomi Campbell and Alicia Vikander.

The imagery depicts Stone on a rocky beach in Los Angeles wearing a deep V-neck dress with chain belt; her red hair blows in the ocean breeze and she bends as if to hold down her white, fl owing dress in a Marilyn Monroe moment.

(SD-Agencies)

Sam Mendes directs Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton short

Nick JonasNick Jonas

Nicolas CageNicolas Cage

Ni Ni (L) and Chen Kun in a scene from “The Rise of Phoenixes.”Ni Ni (L) and Chen Kun in a scene from “The Rise of Phoenixes.”

Emma Stone in the Louis Vuitton ad campaign.Emma Stone in the Louis Vuitton ad campaign.