Currently available on Blu-ray, the Mandarin-language war epic is readying a North American theatrical release for April 2010.
Set in the 1860s, during the 'Taiping Rebellion' of the late 'Qing Dynasty', "Warlords" focuses on the sworn brotherhood of three men (Li, Lau, Kaneshiro) who are forced to turn against each other in a time of battle and political intrigue.
Director Chan said he was influenced by director Chang Cheh's 1973 film "The Blood Brothers", which was based on a high profile assassination of a local governor in 1870 and John Woo's 1986 feature "A Better Tomorrow", although Chan insists "Warlords" is not a martial arts film at its heart.
Shooting started December 2006 in Beijing with outdoor scenes also lensed in Shanghai and the town of Hengdian in Zhejiang province. Wrapping March 2007, post work was divided among Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Bangkok.
Action star Li received $15 million for his starring role, almost a third of the production budget, to ensure that the film would receive international distribution.
Sneak Peek "The Warlords"...
