Chinese director Jiang Wen launches latest movie

Hoping for maximum publicity, Chinese director Jiang Wen launched his latest movie at an event on Monday — more than three months before it is due to open in cinemas.

Gone With the Bullets is a 3D sequel to Jiang’s 2010 political satire Let the Bullets Fly, which featured a bandit posing as a mayor. It grossed $103 million (Dh378 million) in mainland China.

With an estimated budget of $20 million, Gone With the Bullets is set in 1920s Shanghai and revolves around a beauty pageant. Jiang is the first Chinese director to shoot a film with an IMAX 3D digital camera, according to an IMAX press release.

Jiang was asked whether he wanted it to make more money than Transformers: Age of Extinction, which became the biggest grossing film in China in July.

Jiang, who also acts in the film, said: “I definitely want to see a big box office for my movie and I want it as big as possible.”

The launch event was also attended by actresses Shu Qi and Zhou Yun and actor Ge You.