Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, two of Hong Kong’s most renowned actors, are set to reunite on the big screen after two decades in the upcoming crime drama, The Goldfinger.
The movie, set in the 1980s and directed by Felix Chong, the writer of Infernal Affairs, centers around the morally ambiguous chairman of a Hong Kong conglomerate, Cheng Yiyan, played by Leung, who becomes the subject of a 15-year-long investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Lau stars as the lead ICAC investigator who stands in Cheng’s way. Reportedly based on the true story of the Carrian Group, a Hong Kong business that went from being a pest control operator to one of the largest listed companies in the 1980s, The Goldfinger features an ensemble cast that includes Simon Yam, Charlene Choi, Alex Fong, Chin Kar-Lok, Carlos Chan, and Tai-Bo.
The Goldfinger reportedly had a budget of around US$30.8 million (S$42 mil) and is expected to hit cinemas in either July or August. With the on-screen chemistry between the two acclaimed actors, fans are eagerly anticipating the release of this long-awaited reunion.
Andy Lau and Tony Leung’s Past Works Before The Goldfinger
Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai’s most well-known collaboration is in the “Infernal Affairs” trilogy. The movies are crime thrillers that were released in the early 2000s. Lau and Leung played opposite each other as two moles embedded in the Hong Kong police force and the Triad criminal organization, respectively.
Lau’s character, Chan Wing-yan, was a young police officer who later went undercover in the Triad organization. While Leung’s character, Yan Chi-wai, was a Triad member who infiltrated the police force as a mole. The two men became aware of each other’s existence and engaged in a deadly cat-and-mouse game as they tried to uncover each other’s identity.
The trilogy was a critical and commercial success, with the first film winning multiple awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The movies also gained a global following and were remade into the Academy Award-winning film “The Departed” in 2006, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon.
Lau and Leung’s performances in “Infernal Affairs” were widely praised. Both actors brought depth and complexity to their characters. Their on-screen chemistry was also a highlight of the films. Their rivalry and eventual confrontation in the final movie of the trilogy is also regarded as one of the most intense and memorable scenes in Hong Kong cinema.
The success of the trilogy made them both household names in Hong Kong. It also cemented their status as two of the most talented actors in the region. While they have not worked together in a major project since then, their reunion in “The Goldfinger” has generated a lot of excitement among fans of Hong Kong cinema.
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