"Beyond the Previous Work: The Magic Mirror in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Aims to Surpass its Predecessor, with Guo Degang Replacing Stephen Chow." Note: The translation provided is an interpretation of the original Chinese title and description. Titles often involve wordplay or cultural references that can be challenging to translate directly. "越光宝盒" is creatively translated as "The Magic Mirror in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" to capture the essence of a time-travel or portal concept. If this is specifically a movie or cultural reference, further context may refine the translation.
Guo Degang Joins "Beyond the Time Box"
Director Lau Ching-wai's new film "Beyond the Time Box" is currently being intensively filmed in Guangzhou. The cast includes many well-known and influential actors such as Zheng Zhongji, Sun Li, Guo Degang, Huang Bo, Tsang Chi-ho, Tam Yuk-man, Zhu Yin, Cao Shaofen, and Wang Xuebing. Director Lau himself also makes a special appearance as the character Puxi Laozu. This lineup is considered to be one of the strongest in Chinese comedy films over the past 20 years.
This time, "Beyond the Time Box" continues the story from Lau's classic work "Moonlight宝Box" three years ago. The "越" (yue) in the title symbolizes surpassing, aiming to exceed "Moonlight宝Box," while also echoing the series of time-travel stories caused by the Moonlight宝Box. Three years ago, Stephen Chow's performance in "Moonlight宝Box" left a deep impression on the audience, but he does not appear in the cast of "Beyond the Time Box."
In the film, Guo Degang plays Cao Cao for the first time in a comedy movie mainly produced by a Hong Kong team. He said he loves Director Lau's works because their absurd humor and imaginative expression style are similar to his own crosstalk performances. When asked about Director Lau boldly inviting him to play Cao Cao without having heard his crosstalk, Guo humorously replied, "I need to ask him about that later." Director Lau mentioned that a friend recommended Guo Degang, and after flying to Beijing and meeting him, he felt that Guo's demeanor was particularly suitable for playing Cao Cao.
Wang Xuebing previously played the Bull Demon King in "The Lucky Life of Pig Eight", and this time he reprises the role with a more human-like appearance. However, it takes him three hours of makeup every day to transform into the Bull Demon King. This time, the Bull Demon King isn't so afraid of Princess Iron Fan but instead becomes a man pursuing true love. Wang joked, "I don't know if it's true love, but he sure does pursue it."
Zhu Yin continues to play the classic role of Purple Fairy, beloved by many fans. Talking about her collaboration with Director Lau again, Zhu praised the director's skills and said, "He has become much livelier and gentler than before." Cao Shaofen, who plays Princess Iron Fan, has numerous scenes opposite Zhu Yin. In the movie, her husband is taken away by the Purple Fairy. When asked about the ending, Cao helplessly said, "I don't know if I got him back or not."
It is understood that "Beyond the Time Box" is planned to finish shooting at the end of August and will be released by the end of the year. Due to Director Lau's habit of "keeping some things reserved," the main cast members do not yet know the final outcome. Lau revealed that this film incorporates elements from other movies like "Kung Fu," and it will surely not disappoint fans.
