Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures have announced that Chinese actress Li Bingbing (“Resident Evil: Retribution”) has been cast in “Transformers 4.” She joins Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz and Sophia Myles in the fourth film in the hit series of movies based on the best-selling Hasbro toyline. “Transformers 4″ will be in theaters June 27, 2014.
“I am excited to have Li Bingbing join our cast and to be shooting portions of the movie in her native China,” said Bay. “I have always aspired to work with the best actors and this cast is especially exciting now with the addition of Li.”
Li was recently seen in Tsui Hark’s “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” and “1911.” Alongw ith “Resident Evil: Retribution,” she has also stared in “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” and “Forbidden Kingdom.” She was recently named Variety’s Asian Star of the Year.
“I am thrilled to get to work with Michael Bay. ‘TRANSFORMERS’ has influenced generations in China and the movie franchise has a massive fan base,” said Li. “I am very happy to be able to join this international production. Thank you Paramount for the invitation! Looking forward to it!”
This past April, Paramount, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced a Cooperation Agreement regarding the production of “Transformers 4” in China. This agreement represents the first time China Movie Channel will work with a western studio to produce a major motion picture. Here’s more about the agreement:
“Paramount, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced this past April a Cooperation Agreement regarding the production of “TRANSFORMERS 4” in China. Under the agreement, China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China. “TRANSFORMERS 4” is expected to be released in China on or about June 27, 2014. The parties also intend to cooperate in a number of other areas related to “TRANSFORMERS 4,” including the selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film.”
“We are delighted to see Ms. Li Bingbing being selected for a major role in ‘TRANSFORMERS 4,’ a very successful global film franchise,” said Yan Xiaoming, Chairman of China Movie Channel. “Ms. Li is an excellent and famous Chinese actress with many fans in China. She has had many successful projects with China Movie Channel and M1905.com in the past. We wish her every success in ‘TRANSFORMERS 4’ and with the worldwide audience that will enjoy her great talent.”
Sid Ganis, Chairman of Jiaflix, also said, “Li Bingbing is an enormously talented Chinese artist who is fast becoming a worldwide movie star and is a great addition to a stellar cast.”
