Hong Kong’s “King of Comedy”, Stephen Chow (Xingye), is set to start filming the female version of “Shaolin Soccer” titled “Soccer Girls” (tentative title). Known for his preference for mainland popular male stars, there are rumors that he has invited top actor Wang Yibo to play the leading role in the new movie. The film earlier held auditions for the female lead in Taiwan, and after originally planning to announce the final six in June, the list was revealed on August 22, attracting attention.
Stephen Chow initiated the filming plan for “Soccer Girls” last year, with many artists such as Cai Sibei, Guo Baiyan, and his old partner Karen Mok expressing their willingness to participate.
According to Hong Kong’s “Oriental Daily”, while Stephen Chow had previously invited mainland stars like Huang Bo, Wang Baoqiang, and Deng Chao to be the male lead, he is now considering Wang Yibo as the male lead for the new movie. Reports mention that the 27-year-old Wang Yibo, known for his performance in the film “Unnamed” alongside Tony Leung and Zhou Xun, received much acclaim for his acting skills.
There are reports suggesting that Wang Yibo has taken on more serious roles in recent years, making him interested in comedy and collaborating with the “King of Comedy” Stephen Chow in “Soccer Girls”. However, since the film prominently features a female lead, he seems to have some concerns and considerations. Currently, both parties are still in discussions.
On the female lead side, Stephen Chow’s team and the deputy director of “Soccer Girls”, Wu Wenliang, held a large-scale audition press conference in Taiwan in March. Originally planned to announce the selected candidates and hold the final round in June, the overwhelming response led to approximately 30,000 applicants from North America, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, resulting in the final round being postponed to August 22 in Taiwan. The production team later announced the six selected candidates, who will soon travel to Hong Kong for one-on-one interviews with Stephen Chow to determine the female lead for the new film.