Stephen Chow's "Mermaid" to begin filming this year

Stephen Chow's "Mermaid" to begin filming this year

28 Jul – Ever since the success of "Journey to the West", audiences have been anticipating the next project from comedy guru Stephen Chow, "The Mermaid", which has been developing quietly.

According to the latest news on Phoenix, the movie is expected to begin shooting in the later part of this year, beginning with an audition for the lead actress that will be held at the end of July.

It was reported that Stephen has high expectations for his next "Sing Girl", a term used to describe actresses like Cecilia Cheung, Eva Huang and Kitty Zhang who found fame through his movies, and will be taking his time before deciding on the perfect candidate.

Meanwhile, a source from Stephen's Bingo Group disclosed that the movie will not be a fantasy costume drama as it was previously reported, but a modern drama.

"Specific information including the storyline, budget, and investors will not be revealed for the time being," said the insider, who added that Stephen also hopes to repeat his previous collaboration with another director like he did with Derek Kwok in "Journey to the West".

However, there is no news on the actor who will play the lead role, after comedy star-director Xu Zheng reportedly turned down the movie.

While the release date has yet to be determined, sources said that there is a high chance that the movie will be released in the spring of 2016.

(Photo credit: dailynews.sina.com)