Written By: Ken HulseySources: Undead Backbrain / Avery Guerra
Over the past few decades relations between the United States and China have sometimes been tense. There have been moments of turmoil and misunderstandings on both sides of the Pacific, but ultimately things have always worked out because each side really needs the other to survive, politically and financially.
Is it any wonder that a joint American and Chinese fantasy movie project, once called "Mermaid Island", now titled, "Empires of the Deep", would also face it's own share of turmoil, and political incorrectness?
The once touted role of the Mermaid Queen in the film once belonged to none other than acclaimed American actress Sharon Stone, well that is, until she made some public remarks about a major earthquake in China being the result of bad karma inflicted on the country due to its horrible treatment of the Tibetan people.
Needless to say, the actresses' comments didn't sit too well with the Chinese film makers so they said goodbye to Sharon Stone.
In her place comes the very buxom Italian actress Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions) who will take over as the Mermaid Queen alongside Chinese actress Liang Yanfei, Tom Archdeacon and Alec Su.
Also gone is the film's original director, Frenchman, Pitof (aka Jean-Christophe Comar)(Alien: Resurrection, Catwoman), who has now been replaced by Jonathan Lawrence, who's resume is rather short and contains lesser know titles such as the made for TV movie, "Hope for the Holidays".
On the upside, the film's budget has recently been increased from $50 million to $100 million, which will allow for a more wider range of visual effects.
Here is the film's synopsis:
For thousands of years, legends of beautiful mermaids have enchanted people from all over the globe. Their fascinating and mysterious world has always captured the imagination of humans. In film history, there hasn’t been a single movie that has uncovered and explored this mystical world. What secrets lurk beneath the depths? And why do beautiful mermaids seduce human men? “Mermaid Island” (.....Empire of the Deep?) is the first underwater fantasy film to unveil and answer these questions.
The film promises a good dose of monsters, wizards, beautiful undersea kingdoms and sexy mermaids. Here are a couple of conceptual images from "Empire of the Deep":
On the upside, the film's budget has recently been increased from $50 million to $100 million, which will allow for a more wider range of visual effects.
ReplyDeleteSo replacing Sharon Stone with Monica Bellucci isn't an upside? Speak for yourself.