Cleveland Director Johnny Wu's Latest Movie Receives Domestic Release

Last year after he hosted a local screening, local filmmaker Johnny Wu took his latest film, Wu Xia 2 the Code, on the festival circuit where it screened at more than 10 festivals. The movie combines science fiction visuals with Hong Kong-styled martial arts sequences that many of the actors choreographed themselves and tells the story of the 5 Elements, a group caught between corporations in pursuit of a code developed to provide clean air after pollution and radiation have damaged the Earth.

Wu shot the movie in Cleveland, Parma, Mentor and Cortland.

The trailer screened at the Action on Film MegaFest in Las Vegas, and the film won best action feature at The Indiegathering Film Festival.

The movie has been available for purchase in other countries, and now, the film has just been released digitally and on DVD in the U.S. as Immortal Combat: The Code.

Starting today, it’ll be available at Amazon, BestBuy, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and other stores in the U.S.

“We are excited and looking forward to see this movie out at stores,” says Wu in an email about the release. “It is a great opportunity for many to see Cleveland’s talent.”

Wu is currently in preproduction of his new action sci-fi film, Wu Li the Society. He plans to film from late September to December and says he’ll abide by typical safety preparations mandated by both local authorities and by the Center for Disease Control.

Actors will be wearing masks in front of the camera as part of the storyline.

“We thought why not have our feature action film story take place during the year 2050 when radiation, pollution and viruses are rampant in the world and masks are required for people to breathe,” says Wu. “[Wearing masks] would be something new and challenging for the actors, not only [because] they have to be able to act and perform, but they need to be able to express their emotions while wearing a mask and through their eyes.”

Wu will use a web conference first for rehearsing the choreographed fight scenes and conduct routine temperature checks and social distancing when not in front of camera when filming.

“We created a five-page long safety guidelines that all cast and crew need to read and agreed upon before joining this production and a daily surveys for contact tracing,” says Wu. “Some masks you can see their mouth, others with a visor protection and then there are those face shields and others. I think we are the first low-to-no-budget independent film that will embrace wearing masks and having it throughout the entire film as part of the props, and we will be able to do it following safety guidelines while being able to perform.”

Wu has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise support to help with expenses such as food for cast/crew during production, props and heating supplies (as they will be filming in cold weather).

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