Wong Kar-wai, the arthouse auteur best known for 2000’s slow-burn romance In the Mood for Love, is venturing into the internet arena with a new online series. The Hong Kong film-maker will produce and co-direct all 18 episodes of the as-of-yet untitled drama, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which will be divided into two seasons (season one will boast 12 episodes; season two, six). The show will air online in China and around the world.
Although casting and story details have yet to emerge, the show is sure to appear lavish like all of Wong’s output: Chinese production company Huanxi Media Group has agreed to spend around $3m per episode.
Wong joins a long roster of celebrated directors who have transitioned to working on a series format. David Fincher, director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Social Network, made the initial two episodes of Netflix’s remake of the BBC’s House of Cards, setting the tone for all of the episodes that would follow. Guillermo del Toro, director of Pan’s Labyrinth, created a horror TV series called The Strain.
The day after Steven Soderbergh announced his retirement as a movie director, he teamed up with Clive Owen to make The Knick, a period drama set in New York’s Knickerbocker hospital. That show recently concluded its second season. Soderbergh is also behind The Girlfriend Experience, a new show based on his 2009 film of the same name.
What sets Wong’s latest project apart is the online component – although it’s not yet clear where the show will be available to stream. The first season of Wong’s series is expected to be completed in 2017. Wong’s last film, 2013’s arthouse kung fu pic The Grandmaster, was nominated for two Oscars.
