Donnie Yen reveals how a change in the script for his latest feature, The Prosecutor, allowed for him to reunite with one of his Ip Man co-stars. Yen, who has previously portrayed Chirrut Imwe in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and High Table assassin Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4, is best known for playing Ip Man in the movie series of the same name focused on the Wing Chun master. The Prosecutor sees Yen portraying a public prosecutor going to great lengths to defend his client, by any means necessary.
When speaking to Screen Rant, Yen opened up about how one notable casting choice for The Prosecutor almost never came to pass due to the movie’s original script. Yen revealed that originally, Kent Cheng’s Bao Ding was envisioned as a younger character to better fit the dynamic. However, Yen reconsidered once he felt that an older actor could provide a better exploration of the character, thus paving the way for an onscreen reunion. He said:
Yes, absolutely. In the beginning, in the original script, it was a younger guy to play this kind of partnership, and I thought, “You know what, I want someone who’s been into that position for the longest time.” That character should be someone who’s 9-5, he doesn’t change, and he goes about just doing his job without really understanding what his job means to him. So I wanted that type of character for exchange, you know? I needed an older, experienced character like him.
What Cheng’s Prosecutor Role Means For His Dynamic With Yen
The Actor Plays Two Different Kinds Of Lawmen
Bao acts as the mentor to Yen’s detective-turned-prosecutor Fok Chi-ho in The Prosecutor, though the two actors have a different dynamic throughout the Ip Man movies. Making his debut in Ip Man 2, Cheng portrayed Chinese police officer Po, otherwise known as “Fatso,” throughout the movie series. The officer works under the British authorities, despite being opposed to the actions of corrupt superiors, leading him to encounter Yen’s Wing Chun master. After Fatso exposes the corruption in his first movie, he becomes an ally and friend to Ip throughout the following two movies.
As such, The Prosecutor offers another chance to see both Yen and Cheng on-screen together and in a different relationship, thus allowing them to expand their onscreen history. With their roles in The Prosecutor, their dynamic seems to be closer to that of Ip and Po’s earlier relationship, with the pair knowing one another on a more formal level. This is in contrast to the bond they’d later have before Fok’s case brings them closer together.
Our Take On The Prosecutor’s Ip Man Reunion
Ip Man Remains An Essential Part Of Yen’s Filmography
While Yen has become more recognizable for other roles in Hollywood, his work in Ip Man still stands as some of his most highly celebrated works today. Not only was the actor’s portrayal of the Wing Chun master celebrated, but the series’ choreography remains some of the finest action put to screen. Because of all this, Yen’s reunion with Cheng in The Prosecutor has a much greater impact. Had Yen gone with the younger iteration of the character, their scenes might not have hit as hard, or been quite as compelling. Yen and Cheng have a real history that only enhances their work together.
The Prosecutor is a crime drama directed by Donnie Yen Chi-Tan. It follows former detective prosecutor Huo Zihao as he investigates a wrongful conviction in a drug trafficking case, confronting corrupt lawyers and criminals to uphold justice and reveal the truth.
- Release Date
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January 10, 2025
- Runtime
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117 minutes
- Cast
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Donnie Yen Chi-Tan
, Julian Cheung Chi-Lam
, Michael Hui
, Francis Ng Chun-Yu
, MC Cheung
, Yu Kang
, Adam Pak Tin-Nam
, Locker Lam Ka-Hei
, Shirley Chan Yan-Yin
, Mason Fung Ho-Yeung
, Tommy Chu Pak-Hong
, Mark Cheng Ho-Nam
, Sisley Choi
, Mandy Wong
, Justin Cheung Kin-Sing
, Liza Wang
, Max Cheung
, Leung Chung-Hang
, Philip Chan Yan-Kin
, German Cheung Man-Kit
, Yuen Yee-Man - Director
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Donnie Yen Chi-Tan