HONG KONG, June 23 -- Stephen Chow is finally preparing to make his long-awaited return to the big screen.

The Hong Kong filmmaker has revealed that he is aiming to release Kung Fu Soccer in July, potentially ending a seven-year gap between theatrical features and marking his first cinema outing since The New King of Comedy debuted in 2019.

Chow, who turned 64 yesterday, teased the film's release plans in a light-hearted 13-second video shared on social media.

"When will it be released?" an off-camera voice asks.

"I'm working hard to make it by July 10," Chow replies.

When pressed on what happens if he misses that date, Chow jokes: "Then it'll be July 17."

Asked what happens if that deadline also slips, the filmmaker laughs: "Well, ...