(Photo provided to China Daily)
But Han seems to have made an impressive start. He lost 8.5 kilograms within 21 days while preparing for the role.
Lau dismisses Han's fears about comparisons.
"Han and Tang are to play Joker and Zixia, not Chow and Chu," he says.
"Many actors play the same Hollywood superhero in different movies, so why do we have to stick to one cast?"
He says the third installment aims to attract young moviegoers with newer elements, and adds: "Due to the lack of special effects 20 years ago, many scenes could not be realized then. But now I have the opportunity."
The earlier films were about the failed romances of Monkey King and Joker with several women.
They were released in cinemas on the mainland shortly after their Hong Kong debuts, but the screenings were soon suspended as they were seen as "non-serious" like some other Stephen Chow-style comedies. For most viewers, their first encounter with the films came through videotapes or television.
Xiao Tu, 28, a fan of the films and a Beijing-based freelancer, says: "I first watched the movies on China Central Television and was hooked by their humor.
