Lucy Liu Expanding ‘Pirate Queen’ Franchise

PIRATE PODCAST

Lucy Liu and Singer Studios are expanding their “Pirate Queen” media universe into graphic novels and a podcast.

The franchise is built around a retelling of the stories about real life character Cheng Shih, who was a powerful female pirate in the South China Sea at the beginning of the 18th century.

The franchise’s first iteration, a VR experience based on a story by Maja Bodenstein, won the Tribeca Storyscapes Award and the Raindance Discovery Award in 2023. It is currently nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Emerging Media category.

The podcast is directed by Eloise Singer and narrated by Liu. Episode one debuts on Sept. 10, on all major podcast platforms, and includes an exclusive interview with Liu.

The upcoming graphic novel series, to be published worldwide by Andrews McMeel Publishing, may eventually expand to cover the history of 17 other women pirates.

IN MEMORIAM

The Busan International Film Festival will host a special section dedicated to actor Lee Sun-kyun who died in December in difficult circumstances.

Six of Lee’s works will be screened at the festival and talk events held. “The festival aims to reflect on and commemorate the achievements of the late actor, whose dignified and profound performances have represented the Korean film scene,” organizers said in a statement.

The selection includes early works “Paju,” directed by Park Chan-wook, “Our Sunhi,” directed by Hong Sang-soo, and “A Hard Day,” by Kim Soeng-hun.

It will also include an episode of popular TV series “My Mister,” Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning “Parasite,” and Choo Chang-min’s “Land of Happiness,” which release this year after Lee’s death and in which he portrays a righteous soldier who becomes embroiled in a presidential assassination.

NEAR NEIGHBORS

Private sector Indian company Mountain River Films has struck an agreement to cooperate with Chinese government agency China Intercontinental Communication Centre. At a signing ceremony in Beijing, Mountain River Films CEO Chandra K. Jha said that India and China are the world’s two most populous nations, something that makes collaboration “unique and promising.” He said that his company “has taken the lead in ensuring that Indian content continues to thrive in China.”