Stephen Chow behind the animated retelling of The Monkey King
MANILA, Philippines — Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle director and star Stephen Chow has taken on the executive producer’s hat in the first-ever animated retelling of the enduring Chinese tale The Monkey King, premiering on Netflix today.
The Hong Kong superstar originally starred as the Monkey King in A Chinese Odyssey, the hit HK fantasy-comedy films in the ‘90s based on the Journey to the West, the 16th-century Chinese novel about a playful monkey with supernatural powers.
To guarantee the adaptation stays faithful to the legend, Chow came on board as executive producer. In the Netflix version, the Monkey King is born from a stone and blessed with godly, supernatural abilities, but burdened with an inflated ego. He embarks on a journey to vanquish 100 demons so as to achieve true immortality and be united with the gods. He is only armed by his trusty stick, also called Stick, and joined by a loyal village girl named Lin.
The Monkey King is directed by veteran animated filmmaker Anthony Stacchi (Open Season and The Boxtrolls) and Peilin Chou, the creative force behind other notable Asian animated features like Over the Moon and Mulan.
Asked why there was a need to release an animated film version for a story that has already been explored and reimagined multiple times in movies and series, Chow said in a recent e-mail interview: “Journey to the West is one of my favourite Chinese folklore, so I am very happy to bring this Chinese story to audiences worldwide.”
“The key lies in the director. I believe in director Anthony Stacchi and producer Peilin Chou — they are capable of creating an outstanding Monkey King. Enjoying this Chinese story from the viewpoint of director Anthony Stacchi, who is a foreigner, is the most significant thing about this project. There’s also less restriction in animation, therefore, there should be more things to play around with,” added the actor-producer.
Noteworthy in the film is how the team created “a harmonious blend” between the cultures of the East and West. Explained Chow, “This time, director Anthony Stacchi is committed to combining cultures from the East and West, for example by adding elements of Chinese Opera to the action scenes. I think Anthony also conflated cultures from the East and West into the design of The Monkey King. I also believe Anthony values the kids’ audience.”
Asked on what it was like to work with American production companies for The Monkey King, Chow said, “I am grateful to Netflix and director Anthony Stacchi for the opportunity to learn, it was an invaluable experience. Despite differing opinions along the way, I took pleasure in working with Anthony and Peilin.
“Production took over two years. I joined the project with an attitude to learn, and gaining experience from Anthony and Peilin was the most memorable part of it.”
Production-wise, it was an exciting rather than a challenging experience for him. “The most exciting part is meeting and working with creators from different countries, and in animation production, I am approaching it with a learning attitude, therefore, nothing is particularly challenging,” said Chow, whose next project is the Shaolin Women’s Soccer, a spin-off to his Shaolin Soccer 22 years ago.
Aside from offering a visual feast, The Monkey King also features an impressive roster of voice talents, led by Asian actors in Hollywood such as Jimmy Yang as the Monkey King, Bowen Yang as Dragon King, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Lin, Ron Yuan as Babbo, Stephanie Hsu as Mayor’s Wife, and Filipino-American actor-standup comedian Jo Koy as Benbo.
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