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'Touch'-ing Role: Chaplin Runs Off With Yeoh Circus Winnie Chung HONG KONG (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Ben Chaplin has signed to star opposite Michelle Yeoh in "The Touch," which is to begin principal photography in China and Tibet next month. Chaplin, whose films include "The Thin Red Line" and the upcoming "Birthday Girl" with Nicole Kidman, will star as Yeoh's love interest in the $20 million romantic adventure caper set against a traveling circus. The film marks Yeoh's debut as a producer and her first movie appearance since last year's runaway hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." "Touch," which will be in English, is scheduled for a summer 2002 release. "I admire the work Ben has done, and I'm confident that the chemistry between Michelle and Ben, under the direction of Peter Pau, would be totally dynamic," producer Thomas Chung said. The movie will be directed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Peter Pau ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), who directed the Hong Kong production "Temptation of Dance" and the Korean production "Misty." Miramax has acquired rights to the film for North America, the United Kingdom and Italy, while France's M6 has acquired French rights. Taiwanese production outfit Pandasia Entertainment Ltd. remains co-production partner on the project. "I have worked with Miramax on many occasions in the past six years," Chung said. "I will make sure that 'The Touch' will be one of their best acquisitions from Hong Kong." Chung added that "for the remaining unsold territories, Mythical Films is in the final stages of negotiations with very strong studio distributors." It is still unclear what stake, if any, Media Asia Group -- an initial joint venture partner in Yeoh's Mythical Films, which is producing "Touch" -- will hold in the production. Mythical Films was formed last year as a joint venture between Yeoh and Media Asia Group, for which Chung was managing director until this month (HR 8/20). In recent months, there has been a great deal of speculation on Chung's position within the company, though he still holds substantial equity in MAG. Jerry Liu, incoming CEO of MAG, said the group is still maintaining a 50% equity share in Mythical Films and that "nothing has changed." Chung declined comment on speculation on the MAG stake. "All I would like to say is that 'The Touch' is ready to shoot, it remains a Mythical Films production, and we have secured the necessary funding," Chung said. "As to my coming or going at Media Asia, I have no comment for the time being." Chung added that "with
Michelle, we are just focused on 'The Touch'; it has been our pet
project for over a year, and now we feel we are ready. It will be
a 'wow' movie when it comes out next summer. Any other rumors or
speculations are irrelevant." |
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