Dragonball Evolution

• Japanese film premiere: March 13, 2009
• US film premiere: April 10, 2009
• CZE film premiere: canceled, the movie come out only on DVD
• SVK film premiere: canceled, the movie come out only on DVD

Lord Piccolo in Dragonball Evolution

Directed by: James Wong

Writer: Akira Toriyama (autor mangy), Ben Ramsey, James Wong

Cinematographer: Robert McLachlan

Producers: Stephen Chow, Rich Thorne, Tim Van Rellim

Music: Brian Tyler

Length: 86 min

Rating: 12+

Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox, Dune Entertainment

Special Effects: Amalgamated Dynamics Inc (Spider-Man (1-3), Starship Troopers, Alien, Alien: Resurrection, Point Break, Demolition Man,...)

Visual Effects: Ollin Studio (Zodiac)

Stunts: 87Eleven (300, Matrix (1-3), Fight Club, Serenity, Constantine, Bourne (1-3), Watchmen,...)

Cast:

• Justin Chatwin - Goku
• James Marsters - Lord Piccolo
• Emmy Rossum - Bulma
• Yun-Fat Chow - Roshi
• Joon Park - Yamcha
• Eriko Tamura - Mai
• Jamie Chung - Chi Chi
• Randall Duk Kim - Grandpa Gohan

Genre: Action/Adventure/Science fiction/Fantasy

Trailer: 1:49

Gallery: James Marsters Gallery

Official site: 20th Century Fox

Filming Locations:

• Coyoacan, México D.F., Mexico
• Durango, Mexico
• Los Angeles, California, USA
• Mexico
• Nevado de Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico

Synopsis: James plays Lord Piccolo in this live action adaptation; a Namekian who is freed from his long term prison and is determined to find all the dragon balls to help him destroy the world.

Official synopsis: "DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION" is the long-awaited, live-action motion picture based on the popular Japanese manga created by Akira Toriyama. Toriyama's work spawned best selling graphic novels, videogames and a phenomenally successful television series.

The manga, series and games bring to the new film a rich mythology and exciting, complex characters - all of which have captivated millions of fans, of all ages, around the globe. One of the greatest manga franchises ever created, Dragonball has an enormous online fan base and is consistently one of the most frequently searched-for terms on Google and Yahoo!

Dragonball has exploded into a global phenomenon that has generated more than four billion dollars in merchandising sales. It is considered the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 25 different games and over ten million units sold since May 2002. The series - 500 episodes strong - posted top ratings in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

The motion picture "DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION" features a cast of rising young stars and veteran acclaimed actors. Justin Chatwin, who portrayed Tom Cruise's son in Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," takes on the role of the heroic Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the Earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. Emmy Rossum ("The Day After Tomorrow") is Bulma, a beautiful woman intent on retrieving the mystical Dragonballs for her own reasons; Jamie Chung ("Samurai Girl") is Chi Chi, a young martial artist who captures Goku's eye; and screen legend Chow Yun-Fat ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") is Roshi, the Master who guides Goku on the young man's epic quest to save the Earth from the forces of darkness.

James Marsters ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is Lord Piccolo, whose return could signal the Earth's destruction; international performing sensation Joon Park is Yamcha, a charismatic "bad boy" whose schemes could thwart the heroes' journey; popular Japanese actress Eriko ("Heroes") is Mai, an assassin who works with Piccolo; Ernie Hudson ("Ghostbusters") is Sifu Norris, a Master and contemporary of Roshi's; and Randall Duk Kim ("The Matrix Revolutions") is Goku's grandfather Gohan, whose lessons for Goku begins to prepare the young man for the monumental tasks that lie ahead.

Many of these actors underwent a rigorous training regimen under the auspices of the premier stunt performance company, 87Eleven, which has executed or designed some of the biggest action pieces ever seen on film, in pictures such as "The Matrix," "The Bourne Supremacy," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "300."

"DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION" is produced by legendary filmmaker Stephen Chow whose best known films as an actor, director and screenwriter - "Shaolin Soccer" and "Kung Fu Hustle" - have featured a unique blend of martial arts action, CGI and comedy. The director is James Wong, formerly an executive producer/writer on the noted genre series "The X-Files," "Millennium" and "Space: Above and Beyond," and the co-writer/director of the big-screen hits "Final Destination" and "Final Destination 3." Ben Ramsey ("Love and a Bullet") penned the screenplay based upon the graphic novel series Dragonball by Akira Toriyama. The Shonen Jump Comics division of the Tokyo-based publishing house Shueisha is the publisher of the Dragonball manga.

Notes:

• Dragonball is popular Japanese manga written and illustrated Akira Toriyama. From 1984 to 1995 has been released 42 volumes.



• Hollywood reporter.com: November 14, 2007 Twentieth Century Fox is finally moving forward with a live-action adaptation of the hugely popular manga "Dragonball," casting the stars of the movie and setting a release date of next summer. Justin Chatwin is starring as the hero while James Marsters will play the villain in the sci-fi adventure, which will be directed by James Wong. Stephen Chow, the filmmaker behind "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer," is producing.



• From Dragonball Evolution press kit (about Piccolo): In their search for the Dragonballs, Goku, Roshi and Bulma face their adversary, Lord Piccolo. As depicted in the manga, Piccolo is a complex and intriguing figure whose journey sees him embodying both good and evil. For in the Dragonball mythos, any character can turn from good to evil, and vice versa. James Marsters, beloved to millions of fans around the world for his lengthy stint as the vampire Spike in the hit television series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," portrays Piccolo in the film. His Piccolo is the story’s antagonist – "In the film, Piccolo is a figure of decrepitude, and his goals are centered on revenge," says Marsters – but there are hints that his journey is very much an evolving process.

  And what kind of training is required for the actor playing one of the most powerful figures in the universe – Lord Piccolo? According to James Marsters, it was drills involving punching/kicking/blocking combinations. "I thought my body would break," says the actor with a laugh. "But [the stunt team and trainers] knew exactly what my body could take."

  A climactic clash between Goku and Piccolo, set at the elaborate "Dragon Temple," was executed and photographed as an all-out brawl, taking no less than ten day days to complete. Here, Goku executes his signature martial arts movie, "Kame-Hame-Ha," in which he summons energies, both alien and earthly to launch a blindingly intense bolt towards his adversary. For the scene, Justin Chatwin and James Marsters were required to leap from twenty-feet above the Temple’s floor, and appear to "fly" up to some rocky ledges – all with the help of wires and cables, of course. Later, they battled in "mid-air," suspended in front of a green screen.



• PICCOLO: Evil side of Kamisama (who was supposed to be God, but later we know that he’s from the Namek planet). His first form was evil and merciless, but when he was destroyed by Goku, Goku threw an egg which reincarnated him in a less evil form. Since then he’s been a powerful ally and mentor of Gohan, Goku’s son”


• In an exclusive talk for Mexican Premiere magazine Marsters told us: "I have a private stipulation with the director which consists in, if I feel that the movie is losing the original essence of the franchise, I quit right away. My son is a fan like me and he calls me every day to tell me : "Dad, don’t let this movie suck! It’s Dragonball!" Do you think that I would deceive my son and myself?"

• “DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION” is the long-awaited, live-action motion picture based on the popular Japanese manga created by Akira Toriyama. Toriyama’s work spawned best selling graphic novels, videogames and a phenomenally successful television series.

  The manga, series and games bring to the new film a rich mythology and exciting, complex characters – all of which have captivated millions of fans, of all ages, around the globe. One of the greatest manga franchises ever created, Dragonball has an enormous online fan base and is consistently one of the most frequently searched-for terms on Google and Yahoo! Dragonball has exploded into a global phenomenon that has generated more than four billion dollars in merchandising sales. It is considered the gold standard of anime-based video games, with more than 25 different games and over ten million units sold since May 2002. The series – 500 episodes strong – posted top ratings in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

  The motion picture “DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION” features a cast of rising young stars and veteran acclaimed actors. Justin Chatwin, who portrayed Tom Cruise’s son in Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds,” takes on the role of the heroic Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the Earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the Universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. Emmy Rossum (“The Day After Tomorrow”) is Bulma, a beautiful woman intent on retrieving the mystical Dragonballs for her own reasons; Jamie Chung (“Samurai Girl”) is Chi Chi, a young martial artist who captures Goku’s eye; and screen legend Chow Yun-Fat (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) is Roshi, the Master who guides Goku on the young man’s epic quest to save the Earth from the forces of darkness.

  James Marsters (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) is Lord Piccolo, whose return could signal the Earth’s destruction; international performing sensation Joon Park is Yamcha, a charismatic “bad boy” whose schemes could thwart the heroes’ journey; popular Japanese actress Eriko (“Heroes”) is Mai, an assassin who works with Piccolo; Ernie Hudson (“Ghostbusters”) is Sifu Norris, a Master and contemporary of Roshi’s; and Randall Duk Kim (“The Matrix Revolutions”) is Goku’s grandfather Gohan, whose lessons for Goku begins to prepare the young man for the monumental tasks that lie ahead.

  Many of these actors underwent a rigorous training regimen under the auspices of the premier stunt performance company, 87Eleven, which has executed or designed some of the biggest action pieces ever seen on film, in pictures such as “The Matrix,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “300.”

  “DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION” is produced by legendary filmmaker Stephen Chow whose best known films as an actor, director and screenwriter – “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle” – have featured a unique blend of martial arts action, CGI and comedy. The director is James Wong, formerly an executive producer/writer on the noted genre series “The X-Files,” “Millennium” and “Space: Above and Beyond,” and the co-writer/director of the big-screen hits “Final Destination” and “Final Destination 3.” Ben Ramsey (“Love and a Bullet”) penned the screenplay based upon the graphic novel series Dragonball by Akira Toriyama. The Shonen Jump Comics division of the Tokyo-based publishing house Shueisha is the publisher of the Dragonball manga.

  Goku’s quest – with nothing less than the fate of our world at stake – begins innocently enough in the backyard of his grandfather’s home, where Gohan is training the young man in some exotic martial arts moves. It is Goku’s 18th birthday, and Gohan’s gift to his grandson is a Dragonball, a small, round ball whose surface is smooth and pearl-like, but with a milky translucence that gives it depth. Four stars float inside the ball. There are only six others like it in the world, and it is said the seven Dragonballs together will grant the holder one perfect wish.

  Connected to the legend of the Dragonballs is Goku’s own mysterious past – he never knew his parents – as well as the coming solar eclipse, which superstitions mark as a sign of a coming apocalypse. Gohan promises to reveal all to Goku at the special birthday dinner Gohan is preparing for his grandson.

  But Goku skips out on Gohan’s feast, to attend a party hosted by Chi Chi, a fellow student to whom Goku is drawn. As the two teens get to know one another, a tragedy at home is triggered by the arrival of a dark force – propelling Goku, Roshi, Bulma, Yamcha and Chi Chi into a race to collect all seven Dragonballs. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Goku will face the deadliest enemies on Earth, master a powerful force called Ki, which marshals the energy of the universe – and learn the truth of his incredible past…and of a potentially unthinkable future.

• Interview with James Marsters

Dragonball Evolution characters:

• Goku (Son Goku):













More about the orriginal character: Goku (wikipedie)



• Lord Piccolo:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  More about the orriginal character: Lord Piccolo (wikipedie)

  
  
• Bulma:













More about the orriginal character: Bulma (wikipedie)



• Yamcha:













More about the orriginal character: Yamcha (wikipedie)



• Master Roshi:













More about the orriginal character: Master Roshi (wikipedie)



• Mai:













More about the orriginal character: Mai (wikipedie)



• Chi Chi:













More about the orriginal character: Chi Chi (wikipedie)





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More about the orriginal character: Gohan (wikipedie)