Renowned director Soi Cheang has officially announced that the highly anticipated sequel to his acclaimed Hong Kong period action film, “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In,” is set to commence shooting in March of next year. The revelation was made by Cheang himself during a Q&A session at the Tokyo International Film Festival, following a screening of the original movie. Furthermore, Cheang disclosed plans for a prequel to be filmed immediately after the sequel, though the exact release dates for both forthcoming productions are yet to be determined by the producers. Both the prequel and sequel will draw their narratives from Yuyi's novel, “City Of Darkness,” which also served as the source material for the original hit film.

“Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” proved to be a significant triumph for the Hong Kong cinema industry, which has faced challenges in recent years. The film achieved substantial critical and commercial success, grossing approximately $111 million against a budget of $39 million. Its impactful storytelling and compelling action sequences resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike.

The original film introduced viewers to Chan Lok-kwun, portrayed by Raymond Lam, a mainland refugee attempting to secure a fake ID by engaging in bare-knuckle brawls. His journey takes a dramatic turn when he is double-crossed by the ruthless triad leader, Mr. Big, played by Sammo Hung. In a desperate act, Lok-kwun steals a satchel of cocaine belonging to the head honcho and flees into Hong Kong’s notorious Walled City. This darkened citadel, known for its hostility towards outsiders, offers him a temporary refuge from Mr. Big’s cronies, who dare not enter the rival territory. However, Lok-kwun soon finds himself navigating the Walled City's own unique system of martial law, overseen by the enigmatic crime boss Cyclone, played by Louis Koo.

Beyond the success of "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In," the Q&A session provided a candid platform for Soi Cheang to delve into the broader landscape of his career, discussing both his critical and commercial hits and misses. He shared valuable insights into his experiences with mentors, particularly Hong Kong luminary Johnnie To, who played a pivotal role in giving Cheang his initial directorial opportunities under the Milkyway Image banner. Among the films discussed was the 2012 car chase action film “Motorway.” Cheang candidly described “Motorway” as “another disaster of mine,” explaining the challenges he faced as it was his first racing film with severe budget limitations for depicting speed. Upon seeing the initial assembly cut, his immediate reaction was to "smash the television."

The difficulties with “Motorway” led Cheang to seek additional financial assistance from Johnnie To. He requested 16 days of reshoots, a plea which Mr. To ultimately honored by using his own personal funds to help recover the film. This demonstration of mentorship profoundly impacted Cheang, illustrating the support he received early in his career.

Cheang continued to be surprisingly open about the various ups and downs of his professional journey. He revealed his conscious decision to retreat to his independent filmmaking roots after experiencing large-scale, big-budget productions, such as the three-film, 3D fantasy series “The Monkey King,” which starred Donnie Yen. While acknowledging that “The Monkey King” series benefited his career by providing him with experience in working on a large-scale international production with diverse personnel, he noted its limited creative impact. “It didn’t have a great impact on my creativity,” Cheang stated, expressing that by the end of the experience, he felt “very lost.” This feeling prompted his return to directing more personal films, exemplified by “Limbo.” He eloquently concluded, “When you make a personal film, you end up slowly rediscovering the reasons why you started making films in the first place.”