The superhero movie has outpaced the opening weekend for 2015’s “Ant-Man” by about a third, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

The 20th release in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe sees ex-con Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) languishing under house arrest in San Francisco after being caught as his shrinkable superhero alter-ego fighting some of the other Avengers in “Captain America: Civil War” (2016).

Struggling to balance home life and his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by old flame Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), alias the Wasp, with an urgent new mission.

The dynamic insect duo far surpassed sales for the weekend’s runner-up, Universal’s “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” which is in its third week and has already passed the $1 billion mark globally.

The movie, which took $28.6 million, has Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard struggling to contain dinosaurs rescued from a tropical Pacific island and sheltered temporarily at a California mansion.

A shade behind at $28.4 million was “Incredibles 2” — a big enough weekend to push the superhero adventure past Pixar stablemate “Finding Dory” (2016) as the top-grossing animated film of all time.

Written and directed by Brad Bird, who helmed the original, the sequel has earned $503.8 million at home and another $268.5 abroad.

Fourth spot went to another Universal-distributed film, the newly released “The First Purge,” at $17.4 million.

The dystopian horror — the fourth movie in the series — is a prequel set during the original “purge,” a 12-hour period when all crime is legal but certain government officials may not be harmed.

In fifth was Sony’s “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” with $7.6 million in its second week. The action thriller has Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin teaming up to fight drug cartels smuggling terrorists across the Mexican border.

All the top five were sequels or prequels, Exhibitor Relations noted.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Uncle Drew” ($6.6 million)

“Ocean’s 8” ($5.1 million)

“Tag” ($3 million)

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” ($2.6 million)

“Deadpool 2” ($1.7 million)

The buzzy film, a sequel to 2015’s “Ant-Man,” has outpaced that movie’s opening weekend by about 33 percent in ticket sales, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

It is the 20th release in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe series of comic book movies, and the first to feature a woman in the title.

This time, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) languishes under house arrest in San Francisco after being caught as his shrinkable superhero alter-ego fighting some of the other Avengers in “Civil War.”

Struggling to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope Van Dyne (the Wasp, played by Evangeline Lilly) and her father, the brilliant quantum physicist Hank Pym, with an urgent new mission.

The cast includes Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer and Bobby Cannavale.

The dynamic insect duo far surpassed the three-day revenues of the weekend’s second-place movie, “Incredibles 2” from Disney and Pixar, which took in $29 million.

But that was enough to push it past “Finding Dory” as the top-grossing animated film of all time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Incredibles 2” has reached $504 million in total domestic ticket sales and more than $700 million worldwide, Exhibitor Relations said.

Craig T. Nelson plays the voice of torso-heavy Mr Incredible while Holly Hunter voices his stretchable wife in the family-friendly flick.

In third spot, at $28.6 million, was “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” from Universal, which in its third week has already passed the $1 billion mark globally. The film has Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard struggling to contain dinosaurs rescued from a Caribbean island and sheltered — temporarily, dinosaurs being dinosaurs — in a California mansion.

Fourth spot went to another Universal film, newly released “The First Purge,” at $17.2 million.

The dystopian horror film, starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey, is a prequel set during the original “Purge,” a 12-hour period when all crime is legal but certain government officials may not be harmed.

In fifth was “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” from Sony, at $7.3 million in its second week. The action thriller has Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin teaming up to fight drug cartels smuggling “terrorists” across the Mexican border.

All the top five were sequels (or prequels), Exhibitor Relations noted.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“Uncle Drew” ($6.6 million)

“Ocean’s 8” ($5.3 million)

“Tag” ($3.1 million)

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” ($2.6 million)

“Deadpool 2” ($1.7 million)

Police in New York said he was found in his apartment on June 29, according to the Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been confirmed.

Born in 1927 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Ditko worked alongside the then-future Marvel Comics CEO Stan Lee in the early 1960s. It was Ditko who came up with Spider-Man’s iconic red and blue suit, complete with web-shooters.

“Today, the Marvel family mourns the loss of Steve Ditko. Steve transformed the industry and the Marvel Universe, and his legacy will never be forgotten,” Marvel Entertainment President Dan Buckley said in a statement Saturday.

Ditko, a reclusive figure who is thought to have never married, had left Marvel by 1966, reportedly due to a disagreement with Lee.

He went on to work for other publishers — including DC Comics, where he created characters such as The Creeper — but did draw for Marvel again from in 1979.

“Of course, he is best known for co-creating Spider-Man but he also ushered in a slew of unique, very personal and eclectic characters for DC such as the Question, Blue Beetle, Hawk and Dove and more,” said DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee on Twitter.

“Polite and unassuming–he never sought attention or the limelight but in many ways represented the hidden hero he saw in all of us,” he added.

Elsewhere on social media, fans paid tribute to Ditko alongside images of his work — hailed by many for its unique, zany style.

“RIP to comic book legend Steve Ditko, beyond influential on countless planes of existence.”, wrote film director Edgar Wright, whose works include Shaun of the Dead (2004).

Meanwhile, author Neil Gaiman reflected: “Steve Ditko was true to his own ideals. He saw things his own way, and he gave us ways of seeing that were unique. Often copied. Never equalled.”

The story centres on reporter Camille Preaker (Adams) who returns to her small hometown to cover the murder of one preteen girl and the abduction of another. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely.

Based on Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel of the same name, the eightepisode series is the work of Marti Noxon and directed by JeanMarc Vallee from scripts by Noxon and Flynn.

“Sharp Objects” was filmed in Los Angeles and Northern California, and in and around Atlanta.

“‘Sharp Objects’ is my first child, my first novel,” says author Flynn. “I wrote it nights and weekends and holidays with no real belief it would ever be published, because I felt like I had to bring this girl to life, so it holds a sacred place with me. It’s a strange and thrilling thing, bringing text to screen, allowing it to become a new thing while honoring readers’ interpretations too – it’s fun and a bit scary.

“This was my first novel, yet the last to reach screen – 12 long and often disappointing years. But then Amy came along, and I thought, ‘Oh, that was it! Camille was waiting for Amy to play her.’ And that’s not lofty, writer talk. I really believe Camille needed Amy,” she adds.

“It’s curious how we can find beauty in places we wouldn’t expect. How darkness sometimes can become attractive, comforting. This is what happened to me when I read Gillian’s novel. I got sucked into Camille’s head. I was falling for this character. Never met, never seen, nor heard anyone like this before,” says Vallee.

Creator Marti Noxon adds: “When I first read this book, I remember thinking to myself, ‘I have to meet Gillian Flynn – she’s really screwed up like I am’. This is a story that speaks to a part of women’s lives that we rarely address: our impulse to hurt ourselves and each other. And I feel like Camille is representative of so many women who have continually suppressed the damage that has been done to them throughout their lives, and how in an effort to avoid dealing with the root of our issues we inflict pain onto ourselves, in various forms.

“It’s something I could personally relate to, and to see this character who is deeply flawed, but still incredibly brave in her search for the truth, was part of why this story stayed with me for so long after reading it – and it was that lingering hold that made me want to adapt it into a series.”

New episodes premiere every Monday at the same time and repeat on the same day at 9pm on HBO.

Catch up on past episodes anytime on HBO GO via AIS Play and AIS PlayBox.

The entertainment media was out in force late last week, reporters turning out in their hundreds to a conference room in Seoul’s Gangnam district to hear more about one of the most anticipated drama series of 2018. The series in question is “Mr Sunshine” and for once non-Korean fans won’t have to wait months to see it thanks to Netflix, which is bringing it to the US and most Asian viewers on Saturday followed by Japan on Sunday and the rest of the world on July 19.

The 24-episode series, estimated to have cost 40 billion won (Bt1.2 billion), is the third collaboration between talented scriptwriter Kim Eunsook and director Lee Eungbok, the pair behind “Descendants of the Sun” and “Goblin”. “Mr Sunshine” also marks the return to the small screen of South Korean superstar Lee Byunghun, who famously played the lead in the espionage action thriller “Iris” but has focused more on movies in recent years.

Based in Shinmiyangyo, the US expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, “Mr Sunshine” tells the story of a Korean boy born into a family of house servants who runs away to board an American warship and later returns to his homeland as a US marine officer. Ironically, he falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter and discovers the dark scheme to colonise the country from which he once fled. Lee Byunghun, who played Storm Shadow in the “GI Joe” series and Han Cho Bai in “Red 2”, takes on the role of the US marine officer Choi Eugene, while Kim Taeri, who came into the spotlight with Park Chanwook’s “The Handmaiden” makes her TV series debut as the aristocrat’s daughter, Go Aesin. Yoo Yeonseok, Byun Yohan and Kim Minjung, the latter replacing Kim Sarang in the role of Kudo Hina, also star.

The combined power of Kim Eunsook and Lee Eungbok earns the credit for drawing the superstar cast.

“I joined the team a little bit later than the rest of the cast. I was thrilled when I read the script and there was no reason for me to say no. It’s the first time I have joined a project that had already gone a long way so his is pretty new to me,” says the actress.

Kudo Hina is sold by her father to a rich old Japanese man and inherits his wealth when he dies five years later.

Unlike other movies or TV dramas that usually tell patriotic stories set during the years when Japan ruled Korea, “Mr Sunshine” takes place decades earlier, towards the end of the nineteenth century.

“My character is a Korean-American. I think it’s the first time I’ve played an American character in a Korean drama. Eugene is very different. He is not a patriot. In fact, he has a lot of negative sentiments towards Joseon and wants to get his revenge on the country. That made the role unique and interesting for me,” says Lee Byunghun.

Next year marks the centenary of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and so the series is a good opportunity to celebrate the occasion and teach the audience more about Korean history.

“A lot of countries have been invaded by foreign countries and there has always been a fight. I think this is a common sentiment and one that non-Koreans easily relate to. To be honest, we weren’t really thinking of foreign markets when we were making the series, but if you look at our main characters you will see that the patriots were fighting for this country and I think a lot of overseas viewers will be able to relate to that,” says the director.

Lee Byunghun agrees, adding that the 1871 Shinmiyangyo, the first American military action in Korea and the subsequent Japanese annexation of its ports saw a great deal of political turmoil.

“I think a lot of people will look at this without knowing much about the historical background but that’s not important. Essentially this is a story about people and it’s the relationships between these people that make up the focal point of the drama. So even if you don’t understand the backdrop, you will be able to follow and get immersed in the story,” he says.

“For global viewers, it may be a little more difficult. They know little about Korean culture or history so I wonder how they will be able to digest the story.”

It shouldn’t be a problem, Fans of Kim’s earlier hits such as “Secret Garden”, “On Air”, “The Heirs” and even “Descendants of the Sun”, will merely see “Mr Sunshine” as a romantic drama with historical turmoil in the background. One of the writer’s signatures is inserting some cheesy lines into the script and there are here in “Mr Sunshine” too.

“She has certain lines like that prepared. But as actors, we don’t know what lines are going to attract attention. That will be determined by the viewers so we just act it out and then they catch something and start saying ‘oh that was interesting’ and then it becomes a famous oneliner,” says actor Lee, admitting that it took him a while to get used to her language.

“It’s the first time I’ve worked with her. She seems to have her own language and her own way of expressing herself. It was a bit awkward for me at first but I soon got used to expressing myself like that. Let’s just see what comes the next,” he adds.

Another of Kim Eun Suk’s more famous quirks is her genius for writing Cinderella stories. This doesn’t seem to have washed into “Mr Sunshine” as Go Aeshin, the daughter of a high-ranking an aristocrat turns out to be a secret anti-Japanese fighter.

“She’s also fighting for the Joseon dynasty so she’s kind of caught between these two different personalities. She’s a very complex, sophisticated and layered character and whenever I had frustrations and difficulties, I asked the director for help and tried hard not to make her a twodimensional flat character,” says Kim Taeri.

This is the first time a Korean drama will be airing globally via Netflix on the same day as in Korea and that’s a completely new experience even for Lee Byunghun.

“Even when I starred in Hollywood movies, the release dates would be slightly different. So this is the first time I’m seeing a Korean drama being premiered in 190 countries so that everyone in the world can watch the series at the same time. It’s exciting,” her says.

“Mr Sunshine” will stream on Netflix starting on Saturday with new episodes showing every Saturday and Sunday, the same day as the Korean broadcast.

Acclaimed director Tom Lin is in charge of a cast including Lee Sinje, Hiroshi Abe, John Hannah, David Oakes, Serene Lim and Tan Kheng Hua.

Malaysian Lee Sinje plays the lead role of Teoh Yun Ling in the 1950s and Taiwanese actress-director-producer Sylvia Chang takes up the role in the 1980s.

Hiroshi Abe portrays Nakamura Aritomo, the exiled Japanese gardener with whom Yun Ling is romantically involved. British actors David Oakes (“The White Queen, Victoria”) and Julian Sands (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) play Frederik Gemmell in the 1950s and the 1980s, while John Hannah (“Four Weddings and A Funeral”, “The Mummy” trilogy) is Magnus Gemmell.

Up-and-coming Malaysian actress Serene Lim plays Teoh Yun Hong; Yun Ling’s sister.

“Over two-thirds of the cast and crew are Malaysians, signalling Astro’s commitment to nurturing local talent for international exposure,” said Astro chief Najwa Abu Bakar.

“We are also privileged to work with talents of diverse backgrounds from Taiwan, Japan, India and Australia to showcase Malaysia’s unique voice through Tan Twan Eng’s award-winning novel.

“The lyrical and beautiful story captivates its readers with the mesmerising beauty of Malaya after World War II and we are confident that the vivid adaptation will resonate among Asian audiences and beyond, due to many similarities in shared culture, language and history.”

HBO Asia is “committed to ramping up its slate of original productions”, said its senior vice president, Jessica Kam.

“We are thrilled to partner with Astro Shaw to produce this extraordinary feature film with a Malaysian soul by world-class film professionals, and to showcase it to our audience on our digital, linear and on-demand platforms across 23 territories in Asia and beyond.”

As Yun Ling narrates her story, the audience is taken through a series of post-war flashbacks. Yun Hong’s death haunts her, as does her relationship with the Japanese gardener who helps her build a garden in memory of her sister.

The movie is slated for a theatrical world premiere next year.

 The Bangkok Asean Film Festival returns for its fourth edition tomorrow to SF World Cinema at CentralWorld and this year promises to be better than ever with 10 of the 13 movies selected vying for recognition in the Best Asean Film Award competition.

Organised by Thailand’s Culture Ministry of Culture in partnership with the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Association, the festival, which continues through Sunday, celebrates the 51st anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean.

The competition aims to promote the strength of Southeast Asian filmmakers, and will reward the winner with a trophy and $10,000 (Bt330,000) while the film awarded Jury Prize will earn a trophy and $5,000.

This year’s jury is made up of Yoshi Yatabe, head of programming of Tokyo International Film festival; Kiki Fung, a programmer for |the Hong Kong International |Film Festival; and Prawit TaengAksorn, a Thai film lecturer, critic and board member of the Thai Film Archive.

The festival opens with “Eullenia” by Bangkok-based British director Paul Spurrier, who made a major splash with his directorial debut “Paa” (“The Forest”). For “Eullenia”, Spurrier is again working with actor Vitthaya Pansringarm in a tale centred on Marcus Hammond (Alec Newman), the founder of a powerful finance company called Eullenia, which specialises in giving out micro-loans to low-earning people in Southeast Asia. But Hammond’s dark secret and a self-destructive desire threaten to put an end to his empire.

Night Bus

Other films showing include:

“Nen Kradote Kamphang” (“The Wall”)

This film, the only Thai movie in the competition and directed by Boonsong Nakphoo mixes documentary with fiction, telling the story of a film director who experiences a rollercoaster of emotions, dreams, and secrets while scouting for location.

“Nervous Translation”

The acclaimed drama from the Philippines has won several awards since the beginning of the year. Set in 1988, near the end of the dictatorial rule of President Ferdinand Marcos, the film focuses on the life of an eight-year-old child who accidentally discovers something that helps “translate” thoughts of nervous people.

“Guang”

From Malaysia hails this tale of two brothers, one of them autistic and a highly talented musician.

“In The Life of Music”

A testament to love, war, and family relationships, this film from Cambodia spans three decades through the song “Champa of Battambang”, a classic tune by Sinn Sisamuth.

“Night Bus”

This thriller from Indonesia is set on a night bus to Sampah, a remote town where the military is fighting a separatist movement. One of the passengers is coming to end the conflict and his presence puts everyone in danger.

Passage of Life

“Passage of Life”

A co-production between Myanmar and Japan, “Passage” depicts a Myanmar family living in Japan. Their two sons grow up like typical Japanese children. The mother longs to go back to Myanmar, but the father is unable to leave his job. One day, they receive a letter that will change their lives forever.

“Shuttle Life”

The winner of three awards at the 2017 Shanghai International Film Festival 2017 including best film, the Malaysian drama tells the story of Ah Qiang, a poor teenage boy who lives with his sick mother and his five-year-old sister in a small apartment. When Ah Qiang’s sister is in an accident, he realises the agony of the underprivileged class and has to fight tooth and nail with the hospital and the bureaucracy to maintain his sister’s rights and dignity.

“The Ashes And Ghosts of Tayug 1931”

This black-and-white oeuvre from the Philippines tells the story of a filmmaker who travels to the town of Tayug, in Pangasinan, to research the story of Pedro Calosa, a local hero and central figure in the Uprising of 1931.

“The Seen and Unseen”

This Indonesia-Netherlands-Australia-Qatar co-production depicts a 10-year-old girl during the final moments of her twin brother Tantra and their imaginary journey as she hovers between hope and despair.

“Their Remaining Journey”

The spirit of a dead actor is trapped in a stranger’s family as she waits for reincarnation. As a ghost, she watches the lives of the people around her and reflects on the losses suffered by her own family.

The festival also celebrates the film heritage of Asean by showing three classic films: “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” (1980) by Filipino director Mike De Leon; “MeePok Man” (1986) by Singaporean director Eric Khoo; and “Sawan Mued” (“Dark Heaven”), the 1965 Thai drama by director Ratana Pestonji.

Admission to all films is free and tickets can be picked up the tickets 30 minutes before each show.

Join the conversation at Facebook.com/BangkokAseanFilmFestival

“PRISCILLA QUEEN of the Desert”, “Beats Per Minute” and the critically acclaimed South African drama “The Wound” are among the movies showing at the inaugural LGBT+ Film Festival Bangkok, which gets underway today at Bangkok Screening Room.

Running through Sunday, the festival will explore the diverse facets of the community through films, special events, talks, and live performances and a special art exhibition. It will also serve as a safe place for discussions about important issues, such as marriage equality and equal opportunity.

The only Thai entry to the festival is the anthology “i Stories” from four talented directors Nattawut Poonpiriya (“Bad Genius”), Naruebet Kuno, Salinee Khemcharas and Thitipong Kerdtongtawee, each of whom tell their stories in their own ways. Showing on Saturday at 4.15pm, it will be followed by a Directors’ Talk.

Australia’s “Priscilla” is one of the best-known drag queen movies ever made. Directed by Stephan Elliott, it portrays two drag performers and a transgender woman’s journey across the Australian outback. “The Wound” (“Inxeba”), South Africa’s official selection for the Oscar’s Best Foreign Language film, is an exploration of tradition and sexuality set amid South Africa’s Xhosa culture. Every year, the tribe’s young men are brought to the mountains of the Eastern Cape to participate in an ancient coming-of-age ritual. Xolani, a quiet and sensitive factory worker (Nakhane Toure), is assigned to guide Kwanda (Niza Jay), a city boy from Johannesburg sent by his father to be toughened up, through this rite of passage into manhood.

Other films include “Beats Per Minute” from France, “Signature Move” from Spain, “Hard Paint” (“Tinta Bruta”) from Portugal, “Those Long Haired Nights” from The Philippines and “Tom of Finland” from Finland, a biopic of artist Touko Laaksonen that narrates the events that influenced his iconic homoerotic drawings.

A co-production between the Philippines and Taiwan, “Tale of the Lost Boys” is the story of the friendship between two men — Alex (Oliver Aquino), a Filipino mechanic, and Jerry (Ta Su), a Taiwanese aborigine student. The two meet by chance when Alex flees to Taipei from Manila, upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant. A casual conversation develops into a surprising personal connection between them and leads them to undertake a journey that ends up at Jerry’s tribal home.

Documentary fans shouldn’t miss “The Queen of Ireland” -the uplifting documentary about Ireland’s superstar drag queen Panti Bliss as she rises from “giant cartoon woman” to one of the highest-profile activists in the LGBTIQ community. Conor Horgan’s five years in the making documentary follows her journey of self-discovery against the backdrop of Ireland’s 2015 referendum on marriage equality.

The festival also features events and shows, including one hosted by Thai fashion icon, stylist, designer and drag queen Art Araya on Wednesday at 6pm. Entry is free to those purchasing tickets to “The Queen of Ireland” or “The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert”. Only 50 seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis but to ensure attendance, email hello@bkksr.com for the proof of purchase with your name and contact number.

Saturday features an exclusive talk hosted by Bangkok Rainbow at 1.45pm, while on Sunday, film fans can attend a discussion with film blogger Earth Oscar, and directors Anucha Boonyawatana (“Malila: The Farewell Flower”) and Tanwarin Sukkhapisit (“Insects in the Backyard”), also 1.45pm. Both talks are in Thai and admission is free are free though reservations are required.

Also on Sunday is an exclusive talk hosted by Dudesweet at 6.30pm. Tickets are Bt300 for students and members and Bt400 for everyone else. The special guests will be announced nearer the time. Again, the discussion will be in Thai only.

Ticket prices for the screenings are Bt300, Bt250 for students and Bt240 for members, except for “i Stories”, which costs just Bt100.

Tickets are available at the box office and anyone buying tickets for three or more film receives a 15-per-cent discount.

For more information, please call (090) 906 3888 or visit Bkksr.com

The series opens as a Russian bomber crashes in the South China Sea and Section 20’s covert special-ops soldiersThomas “Mac” McAllister (Brown), Samuel Wyatt (MacPherson) and Gracie Novin (Sumarwata) are sent to investigate. There, they cross paths with Katrina Zarkova (Allen), a rogue Russian operative with questionable loyalties.

Under orders of the new commanding officer, Col Alexander Coltrane (Bamber), Section 20 pursues stolen contents of the Russian jet across Southeast Asia, working alongside the Malaysian police to shut down a Triad gang in Kuala Lumpur, uncovering a corrupt plot by a wealthy Indian businesswoman running for Parliament and plunging into the jungles of the Golden Triangle in Myanmar, facing off against mercenary drug agents and terrifying warlords, as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens to push the world to the brink of global conflict.

“We are delighted to offer Section 20 the opportunity to continue saving the world from mayhem and destruction,” says Kary Antholis, president of HBO Miniseries and Cinemax Programming.

“We’re delighted to be back with Cinemax for a new season. We have fantastic actors and crew members who work incredibly hard to provide big-screen action for the small screen, with all the drama, high stakes, and mayhem that involves, and I can’t wait for the audience to see the twists and turns we’ve got lined up,” added Jack Lothian, writer and executive producer.

Viewers can stream the first five seasons on HBO GO via AIS Play and AIS Playbox.

Among them were the cast of the action movie, including Pornlert Pipatrungruang, who plays the main character of Khun Rong Palad Choo and Khwanjira Buakong, who portrays his wife Pikul. Also spotted were Payap Khamphan, the president of the Thai Buddha Image Admiration Association, Pisal Techawipak, Winravee “Ta Boyscout” Yaisamoe, Supakorn “Tok” Kitsuwon, Nanthasai “Tae” Visalyaputra, Jayjintai Untimanon, Saitharn “Tai” Niyomkarn, Watcharachai Sunthornsiri, aka Ant Mathamin, Chatchawal “Keng” Phetwisit, Vichan Meesom, aka John Bravo, Jaran Ngamdee, Jakkrit “Joe” Khacharat, Sornsutha Klunmalee, aka Taurae Chernyim, Chitisan Pongsuthachakrit, aka Chusri Chernyim and Seree Rungsawang.

“This is my first action film and I worked hard practising my moves with weapons. The hardest was working with an elephant, as I had no idea how to control it and never knew when it get close to me. It’s very dangerous as the animal kept using its trunk to strike me. So, really had to take care of myself, “says Pornlert, who is a khon performer and also a sword master with the Fine Arts Department.

Khwanjira concurs, saying she found the fighting scenes very difficult, even after three months of practice. “And the archery was really hard. Pikul is a skilled archer but I’d never done it before.”

For the premiere, the hall was decorated Ayuthaya style and saw the actors and actresses dressed in traditional Thai costumes taking photos with fans, female vendors in full costume offering “khanom jeen namya” and “khanom jeen kaeng kai”, traditional desserts such as “khanom kong”, “khanom thong yod” and “med khanoon”, and healthy drinks. The event included the performances of “pleng choi” (Thai folk music) and the fine art of fencing.

Directed by Jetnipat Sasaing, the movie is based on a real-life Thai hero, Khun Rong Palad Choo, who gathered a group of villagers from Ang Thong’s Wiset Chi Chan district to form an army of 400 brave fighters to stand up against 8,000 enemy troops at Kui Buri. The great warrior is regarded as a role model for the younger generation.

The idea for the movie came fromPayap Khamphan, a native of Wiset Chi Chan, and composer of the songs “Khun Suek Kwang Mueang Wiset Chai Chan Khun Rong Palad Choo” and “Nak Rob Niranam Khun Rong Palad Choo”. The movie aims to promote love and loyalty to the country, religion, and the king.