HONG KONG (AP) – Tony Leung Chiu-wai said he has met with Ang Lee and wants to work with him, but declined to confirm reports that he may take part in Lee’s upcoming spy thriller “Lust, Caution.”

“I have met with director Ang Lee and I really want to have the opportunity to work with him. I’ll let him announce everything else,” Leung said at a news conference Sunday for another upcoming film, “Confession of Pain.”

Lee’s assistant, David Lee, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press Friday that casting choices have not been decided.

“We might have an official announcement when the production finalizes all the cast members,” he said.

Taiwan-born Ang Lee, who won a best director Oscar for “Brokeback Mountain” and was nominated for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” is one of the most closely watched filmmakers in Chinese-language movies.

Speculation on casting choices for “Lust, Caution,” adapted from a short story by famed Chinese writer Eileen Chang, has been intense. Mainland Chinese actress Liu Yifei has been tipped for the female lead.

Scheduling may be a problem for Leung. “Confession of Pain,” which hasn’t started filming, is expected to take two months, while “Lust, Caution” is expected to start shooting in the fall.

Leung is known for his more subdued characters, such as the introverted, melancholy writer who has a love affair with a married woman in 2000’s “In the Mood for Love.” That performance won him best actor honors at the Cannes Film Festival.

—

HONG KONG (AP) – Andrew Lau said he’s honored by Martin Scorsese’s decision to remake his acclaimed crime thriller “Infernal Affairs.”

“Infernal Affairs,” starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau, is the story of a police officer who infiltrates a gang and an undercover mobster in the police force.

Scorsese’s remake, titled, “The Departed,” stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg.

Lau, who hasn’t seen the remake, said Sunday he considered Scorsese’s decision an honor.

“Of course I want it to be good,” Lau said. “After all, it’s a remake of a local film. It’s very rare for Hollywood to remake a Hong Kong film.”

“The Departed” is set for release in the United States on Oct. 6. “Infernal Affairs” came out in 2002.

Lau made the comments after a news conference for his coming film, “Confession of Pain,” which also has a police theme.

—

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Rapper Aesop Rock isn’t writing fables, but he has contributed to a book.

Rock, whose real name is Ian Bavitz, married Allyson Baker of the rock act Parchman Farm and moved to the San Francisco area last year, when artist Jeremy Fish approached him about collaborating on an animation project.

It didn’t come together, but the Def Jux recording artist did contribute a CD to a book Fish wrote and illustrated, “The Next Best Thing,” based on children’s books of the 1970s.

Fish told The San Francisco Chronicle the title refers to the creative process.

“When you come up with ideas for a living, you need to have a fail-safe way to keep going. You have to convince yourself that whatever you’re going to work (on) is the best idea ever,” Fish said. “And even if you manage to convince yourself of this, by the time you’re actually making it, it becomes the next best idea.”

Fish, who owns a skateboard company, plans to premiere a skateboard video with a soundtrack by Rock.