Benny Chan’s new actioner Connected opens across Hong Kong in September 2008. Co-funded by Hollywood’s Warner Brothers Studio, Connected is a remake of Cellular making it (we think) the first official Hong Kong remake of a US film.

Check out some finer details of the film, cast and crew below and the official trailer:

Produced / Directed by: Benny Chan
Starring: Louis Koo, Barbie Hsu, Nick Cheung and Liu Ye
Co-Starring by: Eddie Cheung, Louis Fan and Flora Chan
Special Appearance by: Gong Beibi
Genre: Action Drama
Language: Cantonese and Mandarin
Released: September 2008

The Story:
Bob’s life isn’t going well at all. A single father in a dead-end job as a debt collector, he’s trapped in a job that goes against his usual easy-going helpful nature and he’s under tremendous pressure to be a better dad, a better brother, a better worker, even a better person. While dealing with all this and his sister’s threat to move to China with his son to force him to clean up his act, Bob receives a call out of the blue. It’s a stranger called Grace who claims a mysterious kidnapper is keeping her against her will and begs him to save her and her young daughter. Is it just a heartless prank? The detective he tried reporting the call to seems to think so but Bob’s instincts tell him that he may just be the only thing standing between them and a painful death. But does he have the mettle to rise above his own self-centred concerns and risk everything – including his own son – for two people he has never met and who may not even exist?

About the Film:
Produced jointly by Emperor Motion Pictures, China Film Group, Warner China Film HG Corporation and BNJ Armor Entertainment Limited, Connected is the first ever Chinese remake of a Hollywood blockbuster. The film, which takes its concept from the critically acclaimed David R. Ellis hit Cellular, is helmed by top Hong Kong action director Benny Chan and stars Louis Koo (Hong Kong), Barbie Hsu (Taiwan) and award-winning leading man Liu Ye (mainland China). Director Chan spent two years working closely with writers Alan Yuen and Xu Bing to hone and adapt Chris Morgan’s original screenplay to Chinese culture and sensibilities. The HK$45 million thriller was filmed entirely in Hong Kong.

The Characters:
Louis Koo as Bob
The one thing debt-collector Bob does is really well is try. He tries to be a responsible man—a good father, brother, husband and employee, and he keeps trying…

Long time ago, his wife left him and their young son. Everything has fallen apart since. His sister helps with the kid but she has made a hard decision. She will take her nephew and move to China for maybe then will her brother clean up his act and grow up.

Barbie Hsu as Grace Chan
After graduating with First in her class with a Master degree in Electrical Engineering from one of the top universities in China, she moved to Hong Kong to get married. Shortly after giving birth to her daughter, her late husband discovered he had a rare case of leukemia, Grace became a widow in 2000.

She now owns and operates a successful toy design business. Each day is the same– she divides her time between work and her daughter. But today everything changes.

Nick Cheung as Detective Fai
Not so long ago, Fai was a rising star in the prestigious Serious Crime Division of the HK Police Force…now he is no one, just a regular, low-ranking officer. All he wants to do is get off duty on time and go home and make dinner…well….that is what he says anyway…

Liu Ye as Kidnapper
Today there is one mission. At all costs, he will need to retrieve what should have never existed anyway.

About the Director
Benny Chan is one of Hong Kong’s most sought-after action directors. Growing up, he first realized his passion for action films while watching Bruce Lee on the big screen. “My brother used to take me to the movies all the time. I’d sit there and imitate all the moves—kicking and chopping throughout the film.” Early in his career, he directed many television swordplay and action hit dramas for Television Broadcasts Limited. His first big-screen debut was the romantic action blockbuster starring Andy Lau titled “A Moment of Romance” (1990). The film became an instant classic. Benny Chan has since directed over 16 films and produced five others.

In recent years, Benny has partnered with Jackie Chan three times; the results are the box office blockbusters: “Who Am I” (1998), “New Police Story” (2004), and “Rob-b-hood” (2006). In 2004 and 2005, Benny was nominated for Best Director by the Hong Kong Film Award Academy for “Heroic Duo” and “New Police Story” respectively.

Filmography as a Director:
Invisible Target (2007)
Rob-B-Hood (2006)
Divergence (film) (2005)
New Police Story (2004)
Heroic Duo (2003)
Gen-Y Cops (2000)
Gen-X Cops (1999)
Who Am I? (1998)
Big Bullet (1996)
Fist of Fury (1995)
Man Wanted (1995)
Happy Hour (1995)
A Moment of Romance 2 (1993)
The Magic Crane (1993)
What A Hero! (1992)
Son on the Run (1991)
A Moment of Romance (1990)

The Production Team:
Nicky Li Chung-chi (Stunt Choreographer)
Stunt Choreographer Li has been nominated for 27th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Action Choreography for his work in Invisible Target (2008), working with Benny Chan again for this movie. Since his early start in 80s as a stuntman, Li is responsible for the action-choreography of over 40 films, including Jackie Chan’s Thunderbolt (1995), Rumble in the Bronx (1995), Mr. Nice Guy (1997), Gorgeous (1999), Who Am I? (1998) and New Police Story (2004). He was also working with numerous Hong Kong top directors, participating in Divergence (2005), Gen-X Cops (1999), Young and Dangerous 5 (1998) and Young and Dangerous:The Prequel (1998). His many talents have established him as one of the most influential figures in Hong Kong cinema.

Anthony Pun Yiu-ming (Cinematographer)
Cinematographer Anthony Pun is a long-time Benny Chan collaborator having worked with him on hits such as Heroic Duo, New Police Story and Divergence, the latter for which he won the coveted Golden Horse award in 2005 for best cinematography.

Yee Chung-man (Production Designer)
Award-winning production/costume designer and director Yee Chung-man is one of the leading art directors and production designers in Hong Kong and has three Hong Kong Film Awards statuettes for A Chinese Ghost Story, Comrades Almost a Love Story and Curse of the Golden Flower to prove it. Yee also received an Oscar nomination for best costume design for his elaborate work in Zhang Yimou’s Curse of the Golden Flower.

Nicolas Errera (Music Composer)
Nicolas Errera was born in Paris. He studied piano at Normale Superior School of Musique of Paris. He is an electronic composition with the GRM class in the National Superior Conservatory of Paris. First Price of Soundtrack Class was in Normale Superior School of Music. He founded 3 bands: 2 Source, Grand Popo Football Club and Rouge rouge.

OFFICIAL TRAILER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDJ-D5hIbW0