Upcoming Thai film releases for 2009

Sequels, sequels and more sequels are planned for 2009. Ong-Bak 3 and Naresuan 3 are among them, but there's also The Holy Man 3, Yam Yasothon 2, Khan Kluay II, Buppha Rahtree 3 and the 4bia followup Ha Phrang, as well as 14, the sequel to 13 Beloved.

Sahamongkol brings on the action, planning the release of the long-shelved, controversial robbers-turned-monks drama Shadow of the Naga, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. It stars Ray MacDonald, Pitisak Yaowananon and "Tao" Somchai Khemklad, who's recently been in the news after a fight at a noodle shop.

There will be kiddie kicks in Power Kids (February 5) and Jeeja Project for the female star of Chocolate. Another heroine will be introduced in Suay Samurai (The Vanquisher), directed by Manop Udomdej and starring Jacqueline Apithananont. That was a project that was originally to feature "Amy" Chotiros Suriyawong, until the young actress made a bold choice of evening wear.

There's also Muay Thai basketball action in Bangkok Film's Fireball (January 29), by Opapatika director Thanakorn Pongsuwan. And foreign stuntmen take things into their own hands in Bangkok Adrenaline

For romance, there's love (and comedy) communist style in Blue Sky of Love (January 15); tearful heartbreak in a wide release for A Moment in June (February 12); Yongyuth Thongkongtoon directs Best of Time, about a veterinarian ("Pae" Arak Amornsupasiri) in love (March 5); Five Star offers Before Valentine. And there's teens travelling in Europe with Dear Galileo by GMM Tai Hub's Nithiwat Tharatorn.

From Five Star, veteran director Bhandit Rittakol is at work on A-Nueng Kidthueng Pen Yang Ying (Miss You Once More), the third entry into his 1990s romance series that began in 1992 with A-nueng Kidthueng Por Sangkeb (I Miss You), starring Anne Thongprasom and Chrakkrit Ammarat, then I Miss You 2 in 1996, starring Santisuk Promsiri, Kateina Kloss and Dome Pakorn. There's some photos from the set at Vardhana's Flickrstream.

Five Star will offer up plenty of thrills and chills with Nymph by Pen-ek Ratanaruang and Slice by Kongkiat Khomsiri and Wisit Sasanatieng.


More horror comes from Right Beyond with the Thai-Taiwanese co-production, The Fatality (January 15) and Phranakorn has Kiew Tiew Nua Kon (Meat Grinder) (February 12). Both are by Thiwa Meyathaisong.

There's also Red Eagle, Wisit's reboot of the 1960s masked-crimefighter series that starred Mitr Chaibancha and Petchara Chaowarat. Ananda Everingham is donning the mask.

Also for Wisit, Singapore's Nutshell Review lists the Chinese-language martial arts comedy, Armful, but this is perhaps just wishful thinking for a project long stuck in development hell.

Sahamongkol deals in horror comedy with Luang Phi Kab Phi Kanun on February 19 and blood-stained university uniforms in Mahalai Sayong Kwan.

RS Film has criminal hijinks in Hod Na Hiew on January 29

Poj Arnon will also release his gay teen football comedy, Taew Nak Te Teen Rabert (แต๋วเตะตีนระเบิด) on March 12. It's produced by Phranakorn.

And back to those sequels, which Sahamongkol Film International and Thailand's cinema operators, are banking heavily on.

The third part of MC Chatrichalerm Yukol's historical epic, Tamnan Somdej Nareasuan Maharaj Pak Yutthahatti (King Naresuan 3) is expected to be in cinemas by April 30.

Buppha Rahtree 3, further tales of the vengeful female ghost by Yuthlert Sippapak, is due on April 2.

Tony Jaa's Ong-Bak 3 is due by the end of the year, according to action director Panna Rittikrai. There's no specific release date yet for Mum Jokmok's Yam Yasothon 2, the followup to his 2005 country comedy. And Chukiat Sakveerakul has been working on 14 since 2006's gore-filled social satire 13 Beloved.

GTH plans a followup of its four-segment horror See Phrang (4Bia) with five fears in Ha Phrang, likely with a punny English title using the number 5.

Khan Kluay II, the followup to the first Thai computer-animated feature in 2006, is planned for release around March. The sequel comes as the first film has been reworked, appended and dubbed in Hindi for its release in India as Jumbo.

And that Phranakorn would do a sequel to their hit Holy Man franchise is a no-brainer. Presumably it'll be Joey Boy again in the saffron robes.

And this is only from a glimpse at Pantip's Chalermthai movie release schedule, MovieSeer, Deknang and Deknang's Popcornmag forum and the thankfully back-online ThaiFilmDB.com.

Update: The Bangkok Post's Kong Rithdee offers his look at the upcoming Thai films of 2009 (cache). He mentions yet another sequel in the works: Boonchu 10.


(Cross-published at Daily Xpress)