LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2 -- 20th Century Fox announced Wednesday an exclusive two-year production deal with action filmmaker John Woo, reflecting the studio's growing interest in adventure films such as 'Speed' and 'True Lies.' Woo's film projects in development at Fox, a unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., include Amazon actioner 'Tears of the Sun' and action- comedy 'Ring of Blood.' He is also expected to produce 'Once a Thief' as a one-hour television pilot and the possible basis for an action series. Hollywood studios have been ramping up production of action movies since they not only perform well in the United States, but also are the most marketable U.S. films in overseas markets. Fox's two major successes this year were 'Speed' and 'True Lies,' which topped $260 million in U.S. grosses. Woo, an emigre from Hong Kong best known as the director of action films such as 'The Killers,' 'Hard Boiled,' 'Bullet in the Head,' 'Once a Thief' and 'Hard Target,' will be based on the Fox lot as a new company called Metropolis Entertainment. He will be in partnership his longtime producing associate Terence Chang and their former William Morris agent, Christopher Godsick. 'Tears of the Sun' has been in development in Hollywood for several years with well-known writers Ron Bass, Chris Gerolmo, Larry Ferguson and Robert Kamen all having worked on scripts. 'Ring of Blood' is one of several action projects in development at Fox. The story focuses on a Chinese police officer who tries to avenge the murder of his mother in New York.
Woo is also committed to produce and direct 'Mafia Cop,' a story of a sheriff who infiltrates Florida's drug cartels, for Ted Turner's New Line Cinema. He is also committed to 'Serpent's Tooth,' a thriller about a father-son relationship, for Cinergi. Woo made his U.S. directorial debut with 'Hard Target,' starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and released last year by Universal to moderate domestic returns.
