Director Tsui Hark is working together with Hollywood writer Anthony McCarten (writer for Bohemian Rhapsody and The Theory of Everything) to develop the script for a new upcoming film SHIH, QUEEN OF THE SEA. The film is planned to follow the life of one of the most sucessfull pirates in history Shih Yang (aka Cheng I Sao). Shih, with her pirate fleet dominated the South China Sea during the Qing Dynasty.
Born into poverty, she worked on a "flower boat" brothel where she met the notorious pirate leader Cheng Yi and she joined him at sea. Upon Cheng's death in 1807, Shih assumed full command of the fearsome Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships with an estimated 80,000 pirates - comparison, Blackbeard commanded four ships and 300 pirates within the same century. Shih instigated sweeping reforms to the rules of piracy, ordering execution for rape or marital infidelity and insisting on equality between the genders. Much of what is known in the West about her is due to the writings of an English diarist, Richard Glasspoole, who was captured by her and later formed a strong bond with her.
Director Tsui Hark is planned to be collaborating with Anthony McCarney as producer. At the same time Director Tsui Hark is also planning to work on the second installment of the Legend of the Condor Heroes series - original title for the novel: The Return of the Condor Heroes - which he will be directing again. The movie SHIH, QUEEN OF THE SEA is currently in the development phase with no release date set yet.
Much of the writings about Shih we know today came from the personal narrative of Captain Richard Glasspoole of the ship Marquis of Ely, describing his captivity of eleven weeks and three days. Below is a segment from his diary written during his captivity:
"On November 20 (1819), early in the morning, discovered an immense fleet of Mandarin vessels standing in for the bay. On nearing us, they formed a line and stood in; each vessel as she discharged her guns, tacked to join the rear and reload; they kept up constant fire for about two hours, when one of their largest vessels was blown up by a firebrand, thrown from a Ladrone junk; after which they kept at a more respectful distance, but continued firing, without intermission, till the 21st at night, when it fell calm. The Ladrones towed out seven large vessels, with about 200 rowboats to board them, but the winds bringing up, they made sail and escaped. The Ladrones returned into the day and anchored. The Portuguese and Mandarines followed, and continued a heavy cannonading during the night and the next day. The vessel I was in had her foremast shot away, which they supplied very expeditiously by taking a mainmast from another vessel.
On the 23rd, in the evening, and again fell calm. The Ladrones towed out 15 junks in two divisions, with the intention of surrounding them, which was nearly affected, having come up with, and boarded one, when a breeze suddenly sprang up. The captured vessel mounted 22 guns, most of the crew leaped overboard, 60 or 70 were taken prisoners, and immediately cut to pieces and thrown into the river. Early in the morning, the Ladrones returned into the bay, an anchored in the same situation as before. The Portuguese and Mandarines followed, keeping up a constant fire. The Ladrones never returned a single shot, but always kept in readiness to board; the Portuguese were careful never to allow them an opportunity!"
To compete with the genre, however, another director, namely Wu Ershan also announced his development of a new film that is dealing with the sea theme and compete with Disney's blockbuster series THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. His story is built on Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty who wants to open the sea ban and revive the sea route, however the first batch of envoys to Nanyang did not return. The envoy disappeared and rumors spread everywhere, so Zhu Di sent Zheng He to set voyage and find the truth. Director Wu Ershan had his last film released in January this year titled CREATION OF THE GODS 2: DEMON FORCE (a.k.a. DEMONIC CONFRONTATION), which was the second installment of the 'Creation of the Gods' series that is planned to have a total of three parts. View our page about CREATION OF THE GODS2.
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