Stephen Chow

He entered the film industry through television and acting work. His representative works include King of Comedy, Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle, CJ7, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, and The Mermaid, and he gradually shifted his focus to directing and production.⁠[1]

Stephen Chow was born in Hong Kong on June 22, 1962. His father’s ancestral home was Ningbo, Zhejiang, and his mother, Ling Po-yee, came from Guangdong. He grew up in an ordinary family in Kowloon; living conditions in his childhood were tight, and the family once lived in a cramped wooden-board house.⁠[2]

According to a signed article by Huang Xiao published in The Beijing News in 2015, Stephen Chow’s name was chosen by his mother, alluding to the line “xiong zhou wu lie, jun cai xing chi” (the great prefecture spreads out like mist, and brilliant talents race like stars) in Wang Bo’s Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng.⁠[3]

After his parents divorced, Stephen Chow was raised by his mother, Ling Po-yee. In a public interview in 2010, Ling recalled raising three children as a single mother. Chow later spoke in several interviews about his mother’s importance to his upbringing.⁠[4]

Stephen Chow attended the Church of Christ in China Heep Woh Primary School in Hong Kong. A feature in Metro Daily dated October 15, 2010, preserved by the school, listed him in its “Notable Heep Woh Alumni” column and printed a photo of him from his primary school years.⁠[5]

For secondary school, Stephen Chow attended San Marino Secondary School. A named interview in 2010 looked back on his studies there, his work after leaving school, and his application to the TVB training class. As a student he already wanted to enter show business; his mother asked Lee Tit, a Cantonese-film director she knew, to write a letter of introduction so that he could audition at Shaw Brothers. By his own account, he arrived early in the morning and waited until evening before being given an audition.⁠[6]

In a 2010 interview, Lee Kin-yan recalled that he and Stephen Chow were secondary school deskmates and good friends, and that Chow loved kung fu at the time and often imitated Bruce Lee. The two later met Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Before formally entering the industry, the three filmed kung fu shorts together with a camera Chow had bought; Lee said the footage was later lost during a house move.⁠[7]

In a 2005 interview, Stephen Chow recalled that as a youth he sold nail clippers on the street and worked as a waiter in a teahouse, and that during secondary school summer holidays he also worked in an electronics factory. Discussing his choices after leaving school, he said his priority then was to work, earn money, and help his family rather than continue his studies.⁠[8]

Before joining the television station, Stephen Chow worked as an office assistant. On CCTV’s Face to Face, he said this was his first job, and that his daily tasks included buying breakfast for colleagues, washing cups, and delivering documents. When he left school he had no opportunity to go on to university and needed to find work, but he still wanted to try acting.⁠[9]

Before entering the TVB artiste training class, Stephen Chow had already tried his hand at television performance. A 2010 career retrospective in FAMOUS records that he appeared as a bit-part actor in Rediffusion Television’s 1981 series The Martial Princess. His work in this period consisted mainly of small roles and extra appearances.⁠[6]

In 1982, Stephen Chow entered TVB’s 11th artiste training class.⁠[10]

In a CCTV interview, Stephen Chow recalled that when he first applied to the artiste training class, the examination had three stages; he passed the first two rounds but was rejected in the final round. This setback did not make him give up acting. Recalling his early experience as a background extra, he said he worked as an extra for about a year before getting the chance to host a children’s program; he was not sure which small role was his first performance.⁠[9]

After graduating from the training class, Stephen Chow appeared in Twin Heroes of the Dipper in 1983 and then became a host of the children’s program 430 Space Shuttle.⁠[10]

Stephen Chow recalled that the children’s program’s producer had him play a character who often made mistakes and was then corrected by another host. Outside work, he spent his time reading, watching films, and studying other actors’ performances. After leaving the children’s program, he also hosted variety programs and gradually gained opportunities to act in films.⁠[9]

In 1987, Stephen Chow transferred to TVB’s drama unit. In 1988 he appeared in My Father’s Son and Ah Tak Goes Crazy Too, and entered the film industry with He Who Chases After the Wind; the same year, he won Best Supporting Actor at the 25th Golden Horse Awards for Final Justice. In 1989 he appeared in The Final Combat and The Justice of Life.⁠[10]

In 1990, Stephen Chow starred in All for the Winner; in 1991 he starred in Fight Back to School; and in 1992 he appeared in films including All’s Well, Ends Well and Justice, My Foot!. These works shifted the focus of his career from television to film.⁠[11]

In 1994, Stephen Chow co-directed From Beijing with Love with Lee Lik-chi, also serving as screenwriter and actor; his professional role expanded from lead actor to writer-director.⁠[10]

According to a 2004 Chengdu Economic Daily report introducing the biography An Unofficial Biography of Stephen Chow, in 1994 Stephen Chow and friends jointly founded Choi Sing Film Company and planned a film based on Journey to the West. He invited Jeffrey Lau to discuss directing it, which later became the A Chinese Odyssey project. This was a period in which he took part in running a company and organizing film production before founding Star Overseas.⁠[12]

In 1996, Stephen Chow founded his own film production company and thereafter increasingly took on behind-the-scenes work such as screenwriting and directing; his career extended from being hired to perform to organizing film production.⁠[9]

In 1999, Stephen Chow co-directed and starred in King of Comedy with Lee Lik-chi, continuing to combine on-screen performance with behind-the-scenes creative work.⁠[10]

In 2001, Stephen Chow directed and starred in Shaolin Soccer, serving as both director and lead actor.⁠[10]

In May 2001, Stephen Chow went to Hangzhou to film a commercial for Wahaha Feichang Tea, serving as the product’s brand ambassador. On May 15, China News Service’s website, citing a Zhejiang Daily report, described it as the first commercial he had filmed in mainland China and said it was scheduled to air at the end of that month.⁠[13]

On the evening of May 2, 2001, Stephen Chow met with students at Peking University’s Centennial Memorial Hall. The event was organized by the New Youth website under “PKU Online” as part of the website’s first-anniversary activities; the organizers invited him after learning he was in Beijing for an Olympic bid performance, and he agreed to attend free of charge and brought clips of a film then in production.⁠[14]

During the final Top 10 round of the 2001 World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup is FIFA’s men’s national-team football tournament, held every four years.Open the full entry Asian qualifiers, Stephen Chow was invited to serve as a guest commentator for China Football News’s special Top 10 edition. In its year-end review that year, the newspaper stated that he accepted the invitation and took no payment. This work extended his interest in football from film into sports commentary.⁠[15]

At the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, Stephen Chow won Best Director, Best Actor, and the Outstanding Young Director Award for Shaolin Soccer. The film also won team awards including Best Film.⁠[16]

In 2004, Stephen Chow directed and starred in Kung Fu Hustle, continuing to work in film in the multiple roles of writer, director, and actor.⁠[10]

Stephen Chow bought the Tin Bei Ko site on The Peak in Hong Kong for HK$320 million and brought in Ryoden as a development partner, rebuilding the original property into four detached houses.⁠[17]

Stephen Chow took part in the dialogue “Roaming Between the Modern and the Postmodern” held at the University of Hong Kong, discussing film and Hong Kong culture with Leo Ou-fan Lee, moderated by Ng Chun-hung. The event was co-organized by the university’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre and Faculty of Social Sciences, and the university library holds a catalog record of the event video.⁠[18]

On October 22, 2004, Stephen Chow took part in an exchange event at Shantou University. Ying Chan had earlier arranged his dialogue with Leo Ou-fan Lee at the University of Hong Kong and then brought the event to Shantou University’s Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication. This round of campus events later extended to Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing at the end of the year.⁠[19]

On December 1, 2004, Stephen Chow visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University as part of a campus lecture tour, under the theme “Chinese Tradition and Modern Pop Culture.” The event mainly took the form of questions from the host, scholars, and students answered by Chow, and lasted more than an hour; he spoke about filmmaking and his idea of bringing his works to audiences in different regions.⁠[20]

On the afternoon of December 5, 2004, Stephen Chow visited Chengdu for the first time and met students in the gymnasium of Southwest Minzu University, with fellow guests Huang Shengyi, Zhu Jiaxin, and Wei Minglun. Before the event ended, the university announced his appointment as a visiting professor and presented him with a letter of appointment; he did not commit on the spot to any regular teaching schedule.⁠[21]

Stephen Chow gave a talk and met the media at Renmin University of China in Beijing, accepting a letter of appointment as an adjunct professor from the university. CCTV’s report that day recorded that the talk was held in an 800-seat venue on campus, where he spoke to students about setbacks in his early career and his experience of waiting for opportunities.⁠[22]

Stephen Chow won Best Director at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards for Kung Fu Hustle; the film also won several awards including Best Feature Film. Kung Fu Hustle was produced in 2004, and this award ceremony took place in 2005.⁠[23]

In a February 2005 interview with Chutian Metropolis Daily, Stephen Chow responded to the honorary and adjunct professor titles conferred on him by universities, saying he did not have the ability to teach courses and that he understood these arrangements as a channel for communicating with young people. He also recalled that his 2001 visit at Peking University’s invitation was the first time he took the lectern at a university.⁠[8]

On April 12, 2005, Stephen Chow arrived in Ningbo, Zhejiang, to take part in a roots-seeking and fan event themed “Stephen Chow Comes Home,” and accepted the title of Ningbo tourism ambassador. That evening he visited the Tianyi Pavilion to consult genealogies. Accompanying reports also noted that the event had the character of city tourism promotion; the visit and the genealogy search can be confirmed, but they do not establish that his specific ancestral lineage was identified.⁠[24]

CJ7 was released in 2008, with Stephen Chow serving as director, screenwriter, producer, and lead actor. The film was co-produced by Star Overseas and Sony.⁠[25]

Stephen Chow visited Donggaofang Primary School in Dongcheng District, Beijing, for the launch ceremony of the “Good Start Children’s Charity Fund,” where he, Kitty Zhang, Xu Jiao, and others interacted with migrant children. He had earlier filmed a public service announcement for the China Children and Teenagers’ Fund about caring for migrant children, and that day he was named the fund’s publicity ambassador.⁠[26]

After the Wenchuan earthquake, Stephen Chow said in a public interview that he had already donated through several channels and hoped to visit injured children in the disaster area. May 2008 reports also quoted his company’s staff as explaining that his remarks at the time about a disaster-themed film were creative musings, and that his near-term focus remained on working with charities on disaster relief; the reports did not provide a verifiable total for his donations.⁠[27]

Three of the detached houses in the Tin Bei Ko redevelopment were sold one after another between 2009 and 2011. According to a retrospective report by HK01, the three sold for a combined HK$1.45 billion, and Stephen Chow kept the remaining house. This amount is the total transaction value of the project’s properties.⁠[17]

In May 2010, Stephen Chow met the media publicly as an executive director of Emcom International; the company subsequently adopted the name Bingo Group. He said the company would focus its development on film production, intellectual property and brands, and cinema chains, and that he was optimistic about the mainland Chinese film market. The joint filmmaking and cinema chain development with China Film Group mentioned at the meeting were business plans announced at the time and cannot be taken as all having been completed.⁠[28]

According to court reports from November 2020, in 2011 Stephen Chow mortgaged one of the Tin Bei Ko houses to HSBC to obtain a HK$250 million loan. The related bank documents and emails from that year were presented at the trial of his commission lawsuit with Yvonne Yu.⁠[29]

The 22nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the 10th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, held in Guangzhou, reviewed and approved the membership list of the 11th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, which included Stephen Chow. He joined the provincial CPPCC as a figure from the Hong Kong film industry, and his public activities expanded from entertainment and business into CPPCC sessions.⁠[30]

Stephen Chow gave interviews in Shanghai for Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. On that film he mainly handled behind-the-scenes creative work, collaborating with Derek Kwok and casting actors including Shu Qi, Huang Bo, and Wen Zhang. In the interviews he spoke of hoping to work with new actors and cultivate new talent, reflecting a further shift of his work toward directing.⁠[31]

Stephen Chow attended the signing ceremony for the Journey to the West Film City project at Wuzhen Xizha in Tongxiang, Zhejiang, planning with China Vision Media a film city combining a movie theme with tourism. Contemporary reports gave the planned site as about 1,048 mu and the expected total investment as about RMB 2 billion; groundbreaking in the second half of 2013 and opening in 2015 were plans at the time. The reports did not disclose Chow’s personal actual investment.⁠[32]

Stephen Chow attended the opening session of the second session of the 11th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC and, in a group discussion, suggested that Guangdong pay attention to developing film merchandise. Earlier, during the first session of his term in 2013, he attended only the opening session of the provincial People’s Congress as an observer, for half a day, and his attendance drew media attention.⁠[33]

Stephen Chow attended the opening ceremony of the third session of the 11th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC at the Zhudao Hotel in Guangzhou. In an interview afterward, he said he was concerned about environmental issues such as air and the ocean and hoped to have the chance to offer opinions; when pressed on whether this was a formal proposal, he described it as an opinion.⁠[34]

The fourth session of the 11th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC opened at the Zhudao Hotel in Guangzhou, and Stephen Chow was absent that day. China News Service’s on-site report recorded this together with his attendance in previous years.⁠[33]

Stephen Chow met the media and fans in Chongqing to promote The Mermaid, which he directed. In interviews he spoke about environmental issues and the role of group discussion in the creative process. In this period he took part in promoting new films mainly as a director rather than as a lead actor.⁠[35]

In 2017, Stephen Chow served as producer of Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, directed by Tsui Hark. His responsibilities on this project were mainly behind-the-scenes production.⁠[10]

New Culture announced plans to purchase, through its Hong Kong subsidiary and together with Young & Young International Corporation, shares in Premium Data Associates Limited (PDAL) held by Stephen Chow, amounting to 40% and 11% respectively; under the arrangement Chow would retain 49%. PDAL and its subsidiaries engage in investment, development, production, and distribution of film and television content. The transaction carried performance commitments that later became the source of a dispute between the parties.⁠[36]

According to New Culture’s announcement of January 3, 2017, its wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary would purchase 40% of PDAL for the Hong Kong dollar equivalent of RMB 1.04 billion, and Young & Young, wholly owned by Yang Zhenhua, would purchase 11% for the Hong Kong dollar equivalent of RMB 286 million. The two agreed prices totaled RMB 1.326 billion and constituted consideration for the share transfer. The agreement required PDAL to reach an agreed combined profit target of RMB 1.04 billion over the four fiscal years from 2016 to 2019, and included cash compensation and share buyback clauses.⁠[37]

According to New Culture’s 2020 annual report, New Culture Hong Kong signed an agreement with Young & Young to buy a further 5% of PDAL held by the latter for RMB 138 million, raising New Culture Hong Kong’s holding from 40% to 45%. The seller in this transaction was Young & Young.⁠[38]

During the 2019 Spring Festival holiday season, The New King of Comedy, directed by Stephen Chow, was released. In an interview with a reporter from People’s Daily Overseas Edition, he spoke about working with Wang Baoqiang and his experience of moving from acting to behind-the-scenes creative work. At this point he continued working as a film director.⁠[39]

Financial reports in June 2020 disclosed that Stephen Chow’s Tin Bei Ko property had been mortgaged to JPMorgan ChaseJPMorgan Chase & Co.JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a financial holding company headquartered in New York that operates investment banking, consumer and small business financial services, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands; its roots trace back to the Manhattan Company of 1799.Open the full entry Bank for financing. The figure of about HK$1.1 billion cited in the reports was the property’s market valuation and cannot be taken as the actual loan amount; the actual loan amount has not been confirmed.⁠[40]

The High Court of Hong Kong dismissed Yvonne Yu’s claim against Stephen Chow for investment commissions. Yu contended that the two had an oral agreement under which she would receive a certain percentage of investment gains as remuneration; Chow denied that this constituted a legally binding business commitment. The court ruled in Chow’s favor.⁠[41]

According to New Culture’s 2020 annual report, New Culture Hong Kong applied to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre for arbitration under the PDAL share transfer agreement, seeking payment from Stephen Chow of share buyback principal and interest totaling about RMB 748 million, and the application was accepted. This amount is the applicant’s claim.⁠[38]

According to New Culture’s 2020 annual report, Stephen Chow submitted a response to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and filed a counterclaim, seeking payment from New Culture Hong Kong of RMB 144 million in share transfer payments plus interest, and contending that the agreement had terminated on March 31, 2020, and that he no longer bore the related profit guarantee. These are his contested claims.⁠[38]

Yvonne Yu appealed in the commission case. The Hong Kong Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the appeal in September 2021, and in reasons published on October 8 stated that the trial judge had made no relevant legal error in handling the issues and evidence, and that an appeal should not merely re-run the same arguments in pursuit of a different result.⁠[42]

On March 18, 2022, am730 reported that Stephen Chow would take part in an AMA (Ask Me Anything, a public Q&A) for fans and the community at 2 p.m. Hong Kong time the following day. The event grew out of Spanish artist Joan Cornellà’s MOAR NFT series, one of whose character designs fans considered similar to Chow’s look in From Beijing with Love; fans could leave questions in advance.⁠[43]

On March 19, 2022, at the invitation of a collectibles platform, Stephen Chow took part in an online event by voice broadcast, thanking Joan Cornellà for supporting his films and floating to listeners the idea of choosing which of his film characters could be made into NFTs. am730 reported that day that the livestream drew 200,000 concurrent viewers; a planned segment in which two fans would be drawn for a live exchange was ultimately not completed because of technical problems.⁠[44]

Tatler Asia’s report on the FWENCLUB Discord Q&A explained that Stephen Chow and Joan Cornellà did not jointly release NFTs at that event: the artist is a fan of his and later gave him a work with a similar design for his collection. That report recorded more than 10,000 people listening simultaneously on Discord; Tatler specifically named Discord, while am730 did not state the scope of its 200,000 figure, so the two figures cannot be directly combined.⁠[45]

Stephen Chow opened the public Instagram account “stephenchow,” whose first post was a photo of a whiteboard reading “Hiring.” He publicly sought people familiar with Web3 who had project management experience and said he would choose them personally. The account became his channel for announcing work updates and recruitment information.⁠[46]

Stephen Chow worked with the Nobody team to turn his creative motif that “even a nobody can achieve great things” into 10,000 digital characters, and took part in designing the IP’s worldview and community co-creation.⁠[47]

According to project materials later published by OKXOKXOKX is a global digital-asset trading platform that began operating in 2017 under the name OKEx. Different regional entities provide trading, wallet, payment and related services; the global platform, OKCoin and locally licensed entities must be distinguished.Open the full entry Ventures, in July 2023 Moonbox obtained a license to use film IP associated with Stephen Chow for NFTs, covering Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, and The Mermaid. The license covered use in the NFT field and is not equivalent to a transfer of all copyrights in these films.⁠[48]

In August 2023, Stephen Chow posted on Instagram that he had found like-minded Web3 partners, tagging OKX. In a later interview about Nobody, Jeff Ren recalled that after seeing Chow publicly seek Web3 talent, he reached out on his own initiative and expressed interest in working together.⁠[49]

On August 4, 2023, OKX Ventures announced a US$1 million investment in Moonbox, a Hong Kong AI and Web3 startup. The announcement said Moonbox had been licensed to use Stephen Chow’s film IP and had his support, and that the funds would be used for product and generative AI technology development. Jeff Ren, who gave the investment rationale, was identified as a partner at OKX Ventures; the investor in this deal was the institution, and the recipient was Moonbox.⁠[48]

On December 6, 2023, Stephen Chow shared on Instagram the music video for MC Jin’s new song Nobody, in which he also lent his voice. Reports quoted his manager, Chris Chan, as explaining that Chow was taking part in discussions of the Nobody worldview and products as its First Creator, hoping to bring the community into the creative process. At this point the NFTs were still in the pre-launch stage, and the sale and app launch described by the project team were later plans.⁠[50]

On December 29, 2023, Stephen Chow attended an in-person Nobody project event in Central, Hong Kong, with partners including Jeff Ren and Ray ChanRay ChanRay Chan is a Hong Kong internet entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of 9GAG, founder of Memeland, and a contributor to MemeStrategy.Open the full entry. Speaking as a creator, he discussed art, creative opportunities for ordinary people, and community participation. Remarks about using community ideas in future films were ideas expressed at the time and cannot be regarded as having been realized.⁠[51]

On January 29, 2024, Douyin announced an exclusive premium micro-drama partnership with Stephen Chow, under which the two would jointly develop and operate the “9527 Theater.” As initiator, Chow would work with young creators to produce content directly for audiences through related Douyin accounts; he said he hoped to try bringing audiences joy through short dramas. The launch date for Golden Pig and Jade Leaf announced that day was a projected schedule; for the actual premiere, see the June 2024 entry.⁠[52]

On February 1, 2024, minting began for the Nobody NFTs in which Stephen Chow took part as First Creator, at an initial price of 0.19527 ETHEthereumEthereum is an open, general-purpose smart contract blockchain that launched in 2015, and its native asset is ether (ETH). The project was proposed by Vitalik Buterin and advanced jointly by eight co-founders; the network now uses proof of stake and centers on the EVM, the account model, a rollup scaling roadmap, and the open EIP process.Open the full entry, with a total collection size of 10,000. Earlier, on January 11, the OKX NFT marketplace had partnered with Nobody on a whitelist subscription. This launch moved the previous year’s pre-launch activity into actual issuance.⁠[49]

On February 7, 2024, it was reported that Stephen Chow had changed the avatar of his X account @stephenchow to a Nobody NFT and asked the community for suggestions on event plans. The report explicitly stated that his partner OKX had confirmed the account was used by him personally. The account also links to his Instagram, and later posts related to the short dramas and Nobody events can be seen there.⁠[53]

In February 2024, Stephen Chow reposted the Nobody impersonation contest announcement on X and said he was looking forward to everyone’s entries. The announcement set February 20 to March 20 as the submission period and invited participants to imitate or adapt clips of his works in under one minute. This was a public interaction between his film material and online community creation.⁠[54]

In March 2024, Stephen Chow posted on X about meeting footballers Zhao Lina and Li Jiayue, saying he was putting together a women’s football team and mentioning the idea of inviting the two to join. This public update records a preparatory lead for his women’s football project before the 2026 film’s release, but does not by itself prove that the two signed on to appear.⁠[55]

On March 17, 2024, Blur’s market data at the time showed that the floor price of Nobody NFTs had fallen to 0.1677 ETH, below the mint price, a seven-day decline of about 27.09%. This reflects a market pullback after the project he took part in drew attention early in its launch; the price is a secondary-market record for that day and cannot be used to infer Stephen Chow’s personal gains or losses.⁠[56]

After the Nobody impersonation contest’s submission period ended, Stephen Chow thanked Nobody for organizing the event, and the creators for their participation and support, in a March 2024 post on X, continuing to encourage creation through the shared experience of “nobodies.” He also posted a video carrying the event hashtag.⁠[57]

On April 22, 2024, Bingo Group, where Stephen Chow serves as executive director, signed a strategic cooperation memorandum of understanding with Beijing iQIYI and Zhouling Culture Media (Shanghai), proposing to jointly develop films, animation, drama series, reality shows, and musicals over five years. Bingo would provide the relevant IP and invite Chow to take part as actor, director, or producer. The figure of no less than RMB 1.5 billion in the announcement was an expected production budget, and at the time there was no legally binding formal agreement for the cooperation.⁠[58]

Golden Pig and Jade Leaf, a landscape-format short drama presented by Stephen Chow, premiered on Douyin, with Yi Xiaoxing as producer. In a June 5 interview with The Paper, Yi explained that Chow mainly provided guidance behind the scenes, taking part in script discussions, reviewing footage, and giving suggestions on the editing. The project is a public record of his work expanding from film production into online short dramas.⁠[59]

In 2024, Stephen Chow served as the initiator of the iQIYI variety show King of Comedy: Stand-Up Season. The partnership was made public in April of that year, and the show began its first recordings on June 25, recruiting performers through offline comedy clubs and giving newcomers a showcase in the form of stand-up comedy. His public role was initiator, which should not be confused with a regular host, a judge, or someone present for all recordings.⁠[60]

On August 31, 2024, Bingo Group signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Beijing iQIYI and Zhouling, with a cooperation period running to July 31, 2029. The agreement provided that specific projects must be confirmed by Bingo and Stephen Chow before final agreements are signed. Bingo’s 2025 results announcement recorded that it received an RMB 50 million pre-production advance in September 2024, but that formal production had not begun in the year ended March 31, 2025.⁠[61]

New Culture disclosed that the arbitration of the share dispute between its Hong Kong subsidiary and Stephen Chow had been terminated on procedural grounds because the company lacked funds and could not pay subsequent fees. The company had earlier demanded that Chow pay share buyback money, while Chow had counterclaimed for share transfer payments and damages. This termination was not a ruling by the tribunal on the merits of either side’s claims; the company said at the time that it might separately start recovery proceedings.⁠[36]

Bingo Group disclosed in May 2026 that on September 19, 2025, it had entered into a final agreement with Beijing iQIYI and Zhouling for a first project, using IP held by Bingo to produce a television series, with Bingo and Zhouling providing screenplay, directing, and production services. The project follows on from the 2024 framework cooperation; the announcement did not on that basis confirm that Stephen Chow himself would direct or act in the series.⁠[62]

On May 6, 2026, Bingo announced that it had received an RMB 75 million advance from Beijing iQIYI, part of which was used for content pre-production, development of an AI content generation business, and day-to-day operations. The company also disclosed a 15 million yuan prepayment to Zhouling and acknowledged that it had earlier misunderstood the relevant listing disclosure rules and failed to fulfill its disclosure obligations in time, saying it would strengthen review and monitoring of payment thresholds. This is a business disclosure by the company where Stephen Chow holds office; the announcement did not list the related funds as his personal income.⁠[62]

A joint announcement by Bingo Group and Stephen Chow confirmed that convertible bonds with a principal amount of HK$19 million had been converted, with 69,090,909 new shares allotted to Chow on May 28. As of the June 1 announcement, he directly held about 40.38%; together with associated and concert parties the holding totaled about 62.97%, triggering a mandatory cash offer. The announcement still listed him as an executive director. These percentages are figures as of the announcement.⁠[63]

In June 2026, China.com.cn Entertainment reported that Suzhou Interactive Star Network Technology Co., Ltd. announced that Stephen Chow and Bingo Group were taking part in a strategic equity investment partnership, proposing to jointly develop AI series, interactive film games, live-action film and television, and IP businesses. The report also mentioned Bingo’s earlier collaboration with a related animation team. Public reports did not state Chow’s personal investment amount, so this development is recorded as a corporate-announced partnership, with no inference about a personal investment amount.⁠[64]

On July 11, 2026, Kung Fu Soccer, which Stephen Chow directed, wrote, and took part in producing, was released in mainland China. He joined roadshows in Shenzhen and elsewhere and said publicly that he hoped to continue the story. On August 7, the film announced an extension of its theatrical run to September 10. These activities show that in this period he continued to work on film creation and promotion; his remarks about a sequel are plans.⁠[65]

On September 1, 2026, China News Service’s website reported in its summer-season review that Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Soccer ranked first with an in-season box office of RMB 2.315 billion. The figure covers the summer season from June 1 to August 31 and reflects the film’s theatrical performance in that period; it is not the final total box office or Chow’s personal income.⁠[66]

Nobody officially defines Stephen Chow as its First Creator, emphasizing that he provides the project with creative ideas, film and television resources, and IP collaboration, rather than calling him a founder of the platform company.⁠[67]

Stephen Chow’s films were made jointly with many actors and production teams, and Nobody is likewise developed and operated by a platform team. The infobox therefore lists him as a creator and does not mark him as a founder of Nobody.⁠[67]

Bingo Group: Official website: https://www.bingogroup.com.hk/ (opens in a new window)⁠[68]

Nobody: Official website: https://nobody.xyz/ (opens in a new window)⁠[69]