Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse square off in ‘The Master’

"Special Identity" Character Poster

Martial arts fans who were pleased by Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse’s 2006 collaboration Dragon Tiger Gate should be happy to hear that the two actors are teaming back up for a new project. Yen and Tse, easily two of the biggest stars in Hong Kong right now, will square off “emotionally and physically” in Enter the Master.

The action film is set in a US-based Chinatown where Donnie Yen’s martial arts master is pulled into the middle of a deadly Triad war thanks to his friendship with a new immigrant, played by Nicholas Tse.

Is it just us or does this almost sound like Donnie Yen’s take on the Shaw Brothers classic Chinatown Kid? Either way, Enter the Master is to be directed by Chan Hing-Kai. Donnie Yen will serve as action director as usual.

Film Business Asia does mention there are hopes of turning Enter the Master into a franchise if the first film is successful.

Update: Twitch offers word that Enter the Master is now titled simply The Master, which may or may not cause confusion with both the 1989 Jet Li movie of the same or Paul Thomas Anderson’s recent work. Directing duties have been handed off to Soi Cheang, who helmed last year’s excellent Hong Kong action racer Motorway. The film will begin shooting this year.