Filmart: Comics Creator Ma Wing-shing to Co-direct Third Installment of ‘Storm’ Series (Exclusive)

Ma Wing-shing, the creator of Hong Kong’s Fung Wan comic books that were adapted into The Storm Riders and The Storm Warriors in 1998 and 2009, will co-direct and produce the third adaptation, Storm Cloud, which will be produced by Hong Kong’s One Cool Pictures for a 2022 release.

The original comics, published between 1989 and 2015 in 675 issues, were one of the most popular homegrown wuxia comic series in Hong Kong. The series has spawned films, TV series, an animated feature, a dance piece, a musical, novels, radio dramas and games in Hong Kong and China. Ma’s decision to take up directing duties for the film adaptation is akin to the late Stan Lee’s personally directing one of the MCU movies.

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Directed by Andrew Lau, who later helmed the Infernal Affairs trilogy, The Storm Riders was one of the first CG-heavy Hong Kong films. Despite being a hit and taking over $5.3 million at the Hong Kong box office, it took more than a decade for the second installment, The Storm Warriors, to come together, directed by the Pang twins, Oxide and Danny (Bangkok Dangerous). Both films starred Aaron Kwok and Ekin Cheng, who are not yet confirmed to return for the third film, which will center on the villain in the second phase of the comics series to be played by One Cool Pictures’ owner and head honcho Louis Koo, according to reports.

Making his film directing debut, Ma will share his directing credit in Storm Cloud with Jonathan Lee (The Brink) and David Lee (Insanity).

One Cool Pictures is also launching at Filmart On Your Mom, Get Set, Go!, a sports drama about Hong Kong Paralympian So Wah Wai, who was born with jaundice that affected his control of his limbs and grew up to win 11 medals at three consecutive Paralympic Games, currently holding the world record in both the 100 and 200 meter men’s T36 classification. The film will spotlight the relationship between So and his nurturing mother, played by award-winning actress Sandra Ng, who will also be a producer, while Jimmy Wan (Lover’s Discourse) will co-write and direct.

“There’s a common saying in Hong Kong in recent years, ‘losing at the staring line,’ which irritates me,” Wan told The Hollywood Reporter. “I want to tell a story about how a person born with disabilities could go from a child who couldn’t walk at age four to become a world record-holding Paralympian through a shared belief with his mother to never give up. They were those who have lost at the starting line, but proved that if you strive hard, you could win at the finishing line.”

On Your Mom is the second sports-themed film from One Cool Pictures in as many years, following the Hong Kong surprise summer hit Men on the Dragon, about a group of middle-aged men in a quest for glory in a dragon boat race. Men on the Dragon was the only local movie to earn a place in the summer box office top 10 in 2018 amid intense competition from Hollywood.

“Sports films are about passion and inspiration, and audiences enjoy leaving the cinema feeling passionate and inspired. Even genre films such as A Better Tomorrow or Young and Dangerous, or sports films like Men on the Dragon, give the audience an adrenaline rush,” said Wan. “At this time when Hong Kong is said to be going through a downturn, people need more than ever to regain a sense of passion and lift our fighting spirit. I hope the film will not only bring a sense of passion to the audience, but also move them, as it is about how a mother overcame hardships to bring up her son.”