Tony Leung in The GrandmastersWong Kar-wai’s highly-anticipated and long-awaited The Grandmasters will be arriving in theatres in China and Hong Kong next month, and we were treated to a brilliant first full-length trailer for the film at the start of the week.

The film has been in development for years now, and Craig was treated to some footage at Cannes back in May – you can read his preview report here – and naturally he said that the footage didn’t disappoint.

With its release in China and Hong Kong due out in just over a month, a handful of images have surfaced over at wongkarwai.net.

“With martial arts getting more popular in the Thirties, more people seek to learn them via the professionals at Foshan in Southern China. Some of the experienced masters like to challenge their counterparts and undergoing battles. To have their whole concentration, it is their practice to lock up the venues and no one is allowed to leave during battles. No food and no rest before reaching any results.

Ip Man is a young rich man extremely talented in martial arts, but he chooses to keep a low profile. Yet this doesn’t keep him out of these troubles ahead. One day he is trapped in this battleground so he has to use every means in order to get out of there. The masters are amazed by his abilities. Master Kung and his daughter Kung Yi are amongst, and the latter is attracted to this newcomer.

A high warlord is assassinated by his own guard Yi Xian Tian. All masters in Foshan vow to take Tian down no matter what…”

Tony Leung takes the lead as the renowned Ip Man, starring alongside Zhang Ziyi (Hero), Chang Chen (Red Cliff), Zhao Benshan (Happy Times), and Song Hye Gyo (Full House).

The Grandmasters is set to be released in China and Hong Kong on 18th December. Still no word yet on a UK or US release, but we remain hopeful that it will be arriving on our shores early in 2013. For now, here are the new images, which you can click through to enlarge.