The self-directed and self-produced new film “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer” by Stephen Chow is currently a hot topic in mainland China, sparking fans’ interest in his previous works and making the long-delayed “Mermaid 2,” which wrapped up production 8 years ago but has yet to be released, a much-discussed topic.
“Mermaid 2” is a sequel to the 2016 film “The Mermaid,” directed by Stephen Chow and starring Deng Chao, Zhang Yuqi, and Lin Yun. The first film premiered in mainland China on February 8, 2016, and grossed over 3 billion yuan in box office revenue, creating high expectations for a sequel.
According to Chinese media reports, “Mermaid 2” finished filming as early as 2018 and was originally scheduled for release during the 2020 Chinese New Year. However, complications arose when the original male lead, Kris Wu, faced rape allegations and legal troubles in Northern Europe, and the comedic actor Show Lo, known for his role as the “Eight-Armed Monkey” in the first film, got embroiled in negative controversies. This led to a significant portion of the footage becoming unusable, with over 30% of the scenes being scrapped, causing the main storyline of the movie to fall apart.
In response to the crisis, Stephen Chow chose not to opt for a low-cost AI face-swapping solution but instead insisted on large-scale reshoots with real actors. To accommodate the new cast and revised storyline, the script underwent 11 versions of revisions, expanding the narrative framework from the original marine conservation theme to a space science fiction theme, resulting in the scrapping and re-creation of expensive special effects shots that were previously completed.
Due to the extensive reshoots, modifications, and additional special effects work, the production cost of the film skyrocketed from the initial 300 million to 600 million yuan. There were even rumors circulating that Stephen Chow had to mortgage his mansion to make up for the funding gap, although these claims have not been confirmed.
After enduring years of setbacks and prolonged post-production adjustments, the latest news has emerged that “Mermaid 2” passed the official censorship in March 2026, obtaining the official release permit (Dragon Seal). However, the production team is being cautious in selecting a release date, considering factors such as avoiding clashes with other new films by Stephen Chow such as “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer” and the pressure of market trends affecting box office returns.
Despite the official release date for “Mermaid 2” not yet being announced, movie databases like “Douban” have tentatively marked the expected release year as 2028. The actual release schedule is still pending an official announcement from the production team.