Kung Fu Monster
A 2018 wuxia fantasy film co-produced and directed by Andrew Lau.
Kung Fu Monster (Chinese: 武林怪兽), previously translated as When Robbers Meet the Chessboards, is a 2018 wuxia fantasy film co-produced and directed by Andrew Lau. It is a Hong Kong-Chinese co-production starring Louis Koo, Cheney Chen, Bao Bei'er, Wang Taili, Bea Hayden, with Alex Fong and Zhou Dongyu.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Andrew Lau
- Producer
- Derek Yee / Mandy Law / Peggy Lee / Rong Chao / Andrew Lau
- Screenplay
- Rong Chao / Lin Ting / Philip Lui / Ronald Chan
- Starring
- Louis Koo / Cheney Chen / Bao Bei'er / Bea Hayden / Wang Taili / Alex Fong / Zhou Dongyu
- Music
- Chan Kwong-wing / Wan Pin Chu
- Cinematography
- Andrew Lau / Cho Man-keung
- Editing
- Sun Chi-man / Azrael Chung
- Studio
- Media Asia Films / Bona Film Group / Film Unlimited
- Distributor
- Media Asia Entertainment Group
- Released
- 21 December 2018
- Runtime
- 100 minutes
- Country
- Hong Kong / China
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film is set during the Wanli Emperor's reign (1572 to 1620) in the Ming dynasty. Crane Sun, a cruel supervisor of the Eastern Depot, is ordered to capture monsters that have escaped from the royal palace. Meanwhile, militia warrior Blade colludes with his martial arts junior Bella and female warrior Frigid to gather forest fighters to rob silver from corrupt officials.
Reader's Guide
Kung Fu Monster represents a Hong Kong-Chinese co-production in the wuxia fantasy genre, directed by Andrew Lau. The film features a cast including Louis Koo, Cheney Chen, and Zhou Dongyu. Its plot intertwines imperial monster hunting with a heist by forest fighters, set in the Ming dynasty. The film began production on 13 April 2017 and wrapped on 8 June 2017 in Beijing, releasing in December 2018. Its significance lies in its blend of wuxia and fantasy elements within a historical setting.
Production & Co-Production Structure
Kung Fu Monster stands as a notable Hong Kong-Chinese co-production that brought together filmmakers from both sides of the border under a single creative vision. The project was both co-produced and directed by the acclaimed Andrew Lau, giving the film a distinctly collaborative identity that spanned two major film industries. Principal photography commenced on 13 April 2017 and concluded on 8 June of that same year, meaning the entire shoot was completed in just over a month and a half. The production was based in Beijing, anchoring the film firmly in the Chinese mainland despite its Hong Kong creative leadership. After wrapping in mid-2017, the picture entered post-production and was ultimately released to audiences in December 2018, giving the team roughly eighteen months between the final day of shooting and the theatrical debut. This timeline reflects the typical post-production and distribution window for a feature of this scale, while the co-production structure itself speaks to the ongoing creative exchange between Hong Kong's film industry and mainland Chinese studios.
Plot & Story Setting
The narrative unfolds during the Wanli Emperor's reign, a period spanning 1572 to 1620 within the Ming dynasty. At the story's center is Crane Sun, a ruthless supervisor of the Eastern Depot, who receives an imperial directive to track down monsters that have broken loose from the royal palace. Running parallel to this official pursuit is the world of Blade, a militia warrior who teams up with his martial arts junior Bella and the female warrior Frigid to assemble a band of forest fighters. Their plan is to rob silver from corrupt officials, but the heist goes awry when the silver turns out to be missing. Complicating matters further, the wanted criminal Ocean Feng surfaces alongside the Jianghu wanderer Cypress, and a larger crisis looms as monsters lurk in the vicinity. The plot weaves together imperial authority, outlaw justice, and supernatural threat into a single escalating conflict that draws every faction into the same dangerous orbit.
Cast & Ensemble
The film assembles an ensemble of prominent Chinese and Hong Kong actors across its main and supporting roles. Louis Koo leads the cast as Ocean Feng, the wanted criminal at the story's heart, while Cheney Chen portrays Blade, the militia warrior driving the heist subplot. Bao Bei'er takes on the role of Cypress, the Jianghu wanderer, and Wang Taili plays Mount. Bea Hayden appears as Frigid, the female warrior, and Alex Fong embodies Crane Sun, the cruel Eastern Depot supervisor. Zhou Dongyu rounds out the principal cast as Bella, Blade's martial arts junior. Beyond the leads, the supporting cast includes Wu Yue as Constable Wang, Pan Binlong as Saucy, and Kong Lianshun as Dash, with Liang Dawei and Liu Hao filling out Crane's underlings. The film also features guest appearances by Ying Er, Ken Lo, Fiona Sit, Peter Ho, and Sam Lee, adding an extra layer of star recognition to the already substantial ensemble.
Genre Identity & Title History
Kung Fu Monster is classified as a wuxia fantasy film, blending the martial arts traditions of the Jianghu with supernatural elements such as escaped palace monsters. The title itself carries a dual identity: its Chinese name, 武林怪兽, translates literally to "martial world monsters," while an earlier English rendering of the film was "When Robbers Meet the Chessboards." This alternate title hints at the film's thematic interplay between outlaw characters and strategic, almost game-like confrontations. The wuxia genre roots the story in a historical Ming dynasty setting, invoking the classic codes of honor and martial rivalry, while the fantasy dimension introduces the supernatural threat of monsters that have fled the imperial palace. This hybrid positioning places the film at the intersection of traditional martial arts cinema and speculative storytelling, a combination that Andrew Lau's direction and the Hong Kong-Chinese co-production structure were designed to serve for a December 2018 year-end release.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kung Fu Monster?
Kung Fu Monster is a 2018 wuxia fantasy film that blends martial-arts storytelling with supernatural elements. It is a joint Hong Kong and mainland Chinese production helmed by director Andrew Lau.
Who is in the cast of Kung Fu Monster?
The film features Louis Koo, Cheney Chen, Bao Bei'er, Wang Taili, and Bea Hayden in leading roles, with Alex Fong and Zhou Dongyu also appearing.
Who directed Kung Fu Monster?
Andrew Lau both directed and co-produced the film, bringing his long-standing expertise in action and genre filmmaking to the project.
What is the original Chinese title of Kung Fu Monster?
The film's Chinese title is 武林怪兽, and it was previously known in English-speaking markets under the alternate translation 'When Robbers Meet the Chessboards.'
When was Kung Fu Monster made?
Principal photography on the production began on April 13, 2017, and the finished film reached audiences in 2018.
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