Zhang Yimou’s Follow Up to Hero Lands a Distributor

Zhang Yimou’s highly anticipated follow up to Hero – Shi Mian Mai Fu – has landed a quality North American distributor in Columbia, the same people that handled Crouching Tiger. The film, which has yet to settle on an English language title, is slated for Asian release in July which means if Columbia tries for a simultaneous release to prevent Asian DVD copies from cutting into the domestic box office we may see this film on local shores before Hero makes the crossing thanks to Miramax’s immense bungling. Regarding said bungling and the reasons they didn’t work with Miramax this time out Zhang Weiping – producer of both films – has been quoted saying they were cheated by “the fat guy.”