It’s always a little suspicious when folks start ramping up for a sequel to a film that’s more than a decade old, but for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, we’ll make an exception. After all, the movie is actually based on a mere portion of Wang Dulu’s five book series the Iron Crane Pentology. And we could never say no to seeing Michelle Yeoh back in the role of master martial artist Yu Shu Lien. And it’s not just one excellent female character who’s being brought back: according to Entertainment Weekly, Ziyi Zhang is also in talks to reprise her role of Jen Yu.
Likely the actress won’t have a huge role, however. Says EW, “a source close to the film says Zhang’s part would be shot as flashbacks to explain what happened to her character.” The screenplay is reportedly being based on the final book in the Iron Crane Pentology, Iron Knight, Silver Vase. The pentology has never had an official English translation, but summaries of the five books can be found, appropriately, on Michelle Yeoh’s official site.
According to her summaries, her own character, Yu Shu Lien, doesn’t appear in Iron Knight, Silver Vase, but rather it focuses on the further life of Jen Yu and, after her death, the adventures of her children. The film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon already used events and characters from more of the pentology than the part of it under the name Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so it would seem that the sequel also plans to.
Whatever the size or nature of Jen Yu’s role in the sequel, Ziyi Zhang is still not confirmed. However, the movie will go by the name Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – The Green Destiny, and is set to begin filming in March of next year.
(Entertainment Weekly via Tipster Adrian.)
