MANILA, Philippines—The movie industry is abuzz with rumors that “Wapakman,” a super-hero flick starring controversial pair Manny Pacquiao and Krista Ranillo, is in big trouble.
An entry in this month’s Metro Manila film Festival (which opens Dec. 25), the visual effects-laden film was allegedly hit by all sorts of production delays.
More than the headline-hogging rumor of an illicit affair between two of its stars, the movie’s biggest problem is meeting the festival deadlines.
A festival insider says, Solar, the producer, has decided to push back its opening to January 2010.
An MMFF official, however, told Inquirer Entertainment that the rumor is untrue. “We were informed that the film’s final prints can be delivered on Dec. 27.”
This means the film will miss the first two days of the festival and, as such, will not be qualified to compete for major awards as specified in the rules, according to the same festival insider.
Producer Wilson Tieng of Solar, meanwhile, has denied that the movie has pulled out of the annual competition altogether.
By SMS from Hong Kong, Tieng told the Inquirer on Tuesday night: “‘Wapakman’ is opening as planned.”
But director, Topel Lee, told the Inquirer also via SMS on Wednesday: “We are still not sure … We are still hoping to open on Dec. 25.”
Lee confirmed that the film had its last shooting day on Wednesday. “We are now doing post-production in Revolver Studios,” he said.
On Friday, Tieng was more specific, saying the film will open on Dec. 25.
Arnold Vegafria, Krista’s manager, denied that it was his talent’s absence that caused the delays.
(Krista had to extend her stay in the US as a result of the scandal linking her to the married boxer.)
“I’m not in a position to comment about the movie, but she finished her scenes even before the last day of shoot,” said Vegafria.
The “Wapakman” team planned to have its cast party at the amusement park Star City along Roxas Boulevard on Wednesday night.
Vegafria doubted that Krista would attend the celebration.
Other film fest entries (like Regal’s “Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love” and “Shake, Rattle & Roll XI” and Star Cinema’s “I Love You, Goodbye”) are also in the final stretch of shooting and post-production barely two weeks before the festival’s opening.
It’ll be a photo-finish for this year’s film fest, it seems. MMFF’s deadline is Dec. 17.
