Donnie Yen wants something different for "Sakra"
26 Oct – Donnie Yen is quite certain that his upcoming Wuxia movie, "Sakra" will be nothing like the others that came before it.
Speaking to THR about the project recently, the actor, who is helming the adaptation of Jin Yong's classic novel, "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", stated that a lot of Wuxia characters on screen have become "more fantasy and cartoonish".
"I wanted to stay away from that. I wanted to go back to the history and the roots. From the wardrobe to the hair and set design all the way to the action and stunts, I wanted to go back to the roots with some realism," he said.
As for the action, Donnie wants it to be what he calls "classic Donnie Yen style" where you can feel the pain, power and substance of the fighting.
However, Donnie admitted that the most challenging part of all is how he can portray Qiao Feng, who has been played by many Chinese actors before him, including Tony Yang, Wallace Chung, and Felix Wong among others.
"I needed to find a new and unique point of view on him. At the same time, I had to be very level-headed and really understand what the audience has always loved about Qiao Feng in the text. He's probably one of Louis Cha's most beloved characters, so I really had to understand the charm of this character and think deeply about how to capture that and blend my own persona with it."
"Sakra" is set for release on Lunar New Year 2023.
(Photo Source: Donnie Yen Instagram)
