The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell
The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell | |
---|---|
Traditional Chinese | 掃毒3人在天涯 |
Simplified Chinese | 扫毒3人在天涯 |
Hanyu Pinyin | Sǎo Dú Sān Rén Zài Tiān Yá |
Jyutping | Sou3 Deok6 Saam1 Jan4 Zoi6 Tin1 Ngaai4 |
Directed by | Herman Yau |
Written by | Herman Yau |
Starring | Aaron Kwok Louis Koo Sean Lau |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Universe Films Distribution |
Release date |
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Country | Hong Kong |
Language | Cantonese |
Budget | HK$300 million[1] |
The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell is a 2023 Hong Kong action film directed by Herman Yau and starring Aaron Kwok, Louis Koo and Sean Lau. The film is a thematic sequel to the 2019 film The White Storm 2: Drug Lords, featuring a new storyline and characters.
The film was announced in March 2020, with production slated to begin in July the same year.[2] After going through several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production for the film began in June 2021 and ended in October 2021.[3] It was released on 27 July 2023.[4]
Plot
Undercover police officer Cheung Kin-hang (Aaron Kwok) has been infiltrating drug lord Hong So-chai's (Sean Lau) cartel. One time during an accident, another undercover officer Au Chi-yuen also earns the trust of both Cheung and Hong and the three of them form a brotherly bond. When Hong's narcotics businesses in Hong Kong were busted by the police, he flees to the Golden Triangle with Cheung and Au. However, by chance he receives a tip-off that an undercover cop is secretly hiding around him.
Cast
- Aaron Kwok as Cheung Kin-hang (張建行), an undercover police officer Hong Kong's Narcotics Bureau.
- Louis Koo as Au Chi-yuen (歐志遠), an undercover police officer of the Narcotics Bureau.
- Sean Lau as Hong So-chai (康素差), a major drug lord.
- Yang Caiyu as Noon
- Gallen Lo (special appearance)
- Tse Kwan-ho
- Alex Fong
- Power Chan
- Timmy Hung
- Wilfred Lau
- Lam Suet
- Kumer So
- James Kazama
Production
In March 2020, Universe Entertainment chairman Daneil Lam announced a sequel to the 2019 film The White Storm 2: Drug Lords was being written and was slated to begin production in July of the year, with Herman Yau set to return as director, and will star returning cast members Louis Koo and Sean Lau, the latter making his return since the first film, joined by new cast member Aaron Kwok. Lam stated that Andy Lau, star and producer of The White Storm 2, will not return in the sequel as he will be starring in an aerial disaster action film titled Crisis Route (formerly titled A380), another production by Universe that was in development.[2] Production was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2020, it was announced that production for The White Storm 3 will begin the following month in Hong Kong, and will move to Thailand in 2021.[5]
Principal photography for The White Storm 3 began in June 2021. On 29 June, photos and videos from the set were released on Sina Weibo featuring Kwok, Koo and Lau on location in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, which was used to double as Thailand because of travel restrictions to the country due to COVID-19.[6] The following day (30 June), Kwok posted photos showing his character's look on set on his Instagram account.[3][7]
On 1 August 2021, it was reported that filming has moved to Hong Kong, where the production crew has constructed a Thai village set in the New Territories. It was also reported that the film suffered a loss of HK$10 million as a result of being unable to film in Thailand, where a set was being constructed there during pre-production stage of the film and had to change to construct a new set in Hong Kong instead as the COVID-19 pandemic was worsening in Southeast Asia.[8][9]
On 13 August 2021, the film held its production commencement ceremony and press conference at Cyberport where it was attended by the cast and crew.[10]
Production for The White Storm 3 wrapped up on 26 October 2021.[11]
Accidents on set
On 5 September 2021, during the filming of a car chase sequence at the Hongkong United Dockyards involving four prop cars, stunt coordinator Peter Chan was crushed by one of the prop cars which suddenly flipped sideways and was sent to the Princess Margaret Hospital where he remains in the Intensive Care Unit.[12] On 25 September 2021, it was reported that nine days later, another accident occurred during the filming of a plane crash scene involving a blown up scaffolding where three stuntmen were injured when the entire scaffolding collapsed instead of half of it collapsing like it was planned. Universe Entertainment released a statement that the injuries suffered by the crew members were not serious and they were recovering well.[13]
Release
The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell had its North American premiere at the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival in Hong Kong panorama on 20 July 2023, consequently its China release has been advanced to 6 July.[14]
It was theatrically released in Hong Kong on 27 July 2023.[4]
See also
References
- ^ "電影《掃毒3:人在天涯》暑期檔上映 劉青雲古天樂郭富城首次同台飆戲". March 2023.
- ^ a b Chambers, Isaac (2020-04-02). "Universe Films announces 'The White Storm 3' and Andy Lau-starrer 'A380'". Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ a b Lim Ruey Yan (2021-07-01). "Aaron Kwok shares photos of his latest movie role in The White Storm 3". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ a b "掃毒3人在天涯電影7.27上映!3大影帝正面交鋒 劇情預告率先睇" (Press release). 9 June 2023.
- ^ "《掃毒3》下月開機劉德華唔歸隊? 古天樂搭檔另一位天王巨星". HK01 (in Chinese). 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "掃毒3 劉青雲古天樂雲南開工 流出片段誤爆郭富城係臥底?". HK01 (in Chinese). 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "掃毒3 郭富城公開型佬造型 「辛苦都值得,不忘初心做到最好」". HK01 (in Chinese). 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Hsia, Heidi (2021-08-02). ""The White Storm 3" loses millions due to location change". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "新片撤離泰國慘失千萬!郭富城返港即變「暖男天王」" (in Chinese). 2021-08-01. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "掃毒3 移師香港開鏡 古天樂郭富城再聚:打戲似《柔道龍虎榜》". HK01 (in Chinese). 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "《掃毒3》煞科 郭富城欣賞邱禮濤冷靜 劉青雲終可剃鬚 (16:35)". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ "青衣船塢拍電影 《掃毒3》飛車指導遭道具車壓傷命危" (in Chinese). 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
- ^ Lee Wei Lin (2021-09-27). "4 Crew Members Injured In The Span Of 9 Days On The Set Of Louis Koo & Aaron Kwok's New Movie The White Storm 3". 8 Days.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (21 June 2023). "Hong Kong Action Film 'White Storm 3' Sets North American Premiere, Revised China Release". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2023.