When you think of a John Woo movie you’re probably thinking of a bloody, gritty, action thriller… with at least one slow-mo shot of a dove in flight. While it’s true, the Hong Kong director does have an affinity for the genre with films like “Hard Boiled,” “Face/Off,” and “The Killer.” This time Woo will be teaming up with pop duo Ron and Russell Mael, better known as Sparks, for something completely different.
Really, Woo? A Musical?
“My next project is actually a half-musical,” Woo tells Empire. “I’m going to be working with the Sparks Brothers, who wrote the script and songs — we are just starting work on some changes to the script.”
Fans of Woo may not be too shocked by this, considering the director has been saying since at least the 1990s that he wants to make a musical. At one point, he even came close to adapting “The Phantom Of The Opera.” It seems that all his desires are finally manifesting into Woo’s long-awaited passion project.
However, that’s not to say it won’t be an adjustment from his usual fare. “It will be my first movie where I don’t need to hire a stuntman,” Woo said with a laugh.
The Kind Of Untitled Project
While the project is officially untitled, Woo and Spaks’ upcoming film is rumored to be “X Crucior.” “X Crucior,” was first announced by Focus Features in November of 2022. At the time it was described as “an original musical written and executive produced by Ron Mael and Russell Mael, the subjects of the studio’s 2021 documentary The Sparks Brothers.”
This rumor was strengthened by Sparks when they posted to X (formally Twitter) about the collaboration. On September 5th, the duo posted a picture of them with Woo. “Legendary filmmaker John Woo + Sparks = ????,” reads the caption. Topped off with the hashtag “#xcrucior.”
So while nothing is set in stone, we think its safe to say all signs are pointing to it being “X Crucior.”
But if musicals aren’t your thing, the director still has plenty more films coming down the pipeline. “I have a Western project; a wonderful script from Brian Helgeland,” Woo reveals. “It has a lot of romance and a lot of emotion and exciting action.”
We’ll keep you posted on updates about this Sparks/Woo collaboration as it develops.
