SHIM Hyung-rae's "The Last Godfather"
Published on | Source
Following on the monstrous success of his last feature "D-War" – the top-grossing Korean film of 2007 – comedian-turned-director Shim Hyung-rae has gotten the green light on his next project, a big-budget slapstick CG ode to the mafia entitled The Last Godfather.
As equally ambitious in conception as "D-War", the new project is an unofficial comedy 'sequel' to The Godfather, in which SHIM, 50, will himself star, reprising the role of Younggu, a popular comedy character he created in the 1980's. The plot will see Younggu adopted by notorious mafia crime boss, Don Corleone. Younggu is named the Don's successor after it is discovered he may be his illegitimate son born in Korea.
So where does the CGI come in? SHIM plans to resurrect the late and legendary Marlon Brando in the role of the Don, using the wonders of CGI technology to recreate him. Total production budget for the film is expected to be in the neighborhood of US$21 million.
"The Last Godfather" is the first project selected to receive export insurance support, a program launched by the Korea Export Insurance Corp. in a pact with the Korean Film Council to breathe new life into the export market for local films, which have taken a downturn recent years. The insurance will provide partial coverage against losses to the films' production and P&A budget.
As with "D-War", which opened on 1700 screens across the US, "The Last Godfather" will target both the Korean and the lucrative US market, where DVD and other ancillary sales are expected to guarantee recouping of at least 70% of investment.
Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)
As equally ambitious in conception as "D-War", the new project is an unofficial comedy 'sequel' to The Godfather, in which SHIM, 50, will himself star, reprising the role of Younggu, a popular comedy character he created in the 1980's. The plot will see Younggu adopted by notorious mafia crime boss, Don Corleone. Younggu is named the Don's successor after it is discovered he may be his illegitimate son born in Korea.
So where does the CGI come in? SHIM plans to resurrect the late and legendary Marlon Brando in the role of the Don, using the wonders of CGI technology to recreate him. Total production budget for the film is expected to be in the neighborhood of US$21 million.
"The Last Godfather" is the first project selected to receive export insurance support, a program launched by the Korea Export Insurance Corp. in a pact with the Korean Film Council to breathe new life into the export market for local films, which have taken a downturn recent years. The insurance will provide partial coverage against losses to the films' production and P&A budget.
As with "D-War", which opened on 1700 screens across the US, "The Last Godfather" will target both the Korean and the lucrative US market, where DVD and other ancillary sales are expected to guarantee recouping of at least 70% of investment.
Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)
Advertisement