For this edition of Interview, Last Resort Films president Phil Dolan sits down with one of the studio's longest tenured and most unique writing voices - Meirad Tako (Either/Or, The Ghost Connection) - to discuss his 1984 films and the future of the Police Story film series.
PD: Nineteen Eighty-Four - Part Two proved just as successful, if not slightly more so, than the first film. Are there plans to continue with a third part?
MT: My intention has been to dedicate a separate film to each of the three parts of the novel 1984, allowing each movie to serve its specific role within the larger narrative. Despite criticism of the first film, I maintained this vision for the second. The challenge now is adapting the third and final section of the book, which is considerably shorter. The question remains whether this final film can withstand the immense pressure and deliver a victorious finale, or if it will be an unsatisfactory conclusion.
PD: Police Story has been a surprisingly successful franchise for LRF - despite the financial failure of the prequel film. What do you think it is that keeps audiences coming back?
MT: There's a universal craving for excitement and spectacle that I feel is part of human nature. It often stems from a common fantasy: the desire to be strong, to be a guardian for those we care about. When a film can tap into that fantasy and portray it with masterful execution, it creates a powerful and repeatable experience for the audience. For this reason, my goal is to continuously elevate the story's ambition while also quenching the profound thirst for exceptional action.
PD: Each Police Story film has featured a different director - is that a purposeful choice from you?
MT: Yes, exactly. My initial decision to have Wilson Yip take over as director, with Patrick Hughes moving to a producer role, was driven by a need for a more authentically Chinese perspective. However, I discovered that this change brought more than just authenticity—it introduced a different, yet complementary, tone and vibe to the series. Encouraged by this, we repeated the strategy by bringing in Olivier Megaton for the third film, which resulted in a successful conclusion. I am now applying that same vision to this new story arc.
PD: If things go well at the box office for Police Story: Retribution, do you plan on continuing the franchise?
MT: While I haven't mapped out the entire future of this new series, I know that its success is a direct message from the fans, telling me to make another one—and to do it well. I have a profound respect for the audience. They invest their money and trust in what is essentially a group of people playing make-believe. That level of trust, which leads to sold-out tickets, must be honored with the highest possible quality in our work.
PD: What's next for you - And when can we expect the next "bonkers" film from you?
MT: A critic once called me the 'master of the weird,' a label I've fully embraced. However, I may disappoint some people by saying that as I've gotten older, I've become more self-conscious about my work. I used to create films just for the sake of it, almost like vanity projects, as one critic also said about one of my movie. That phase culminated in the success of Klitih, which was certainly unconventional but also felt substantial. Now, I feel a profound need for my films to BE something more; they must have real philosophical value. While my past work always had these undercurrents, they never fully aimed to answer a question or address an issue. So today, while I still have plenty of weird ideas, I need to take much more time to write and direct them to a point where they are truly meaningful
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