A short note from Midway tells us that Stranglehold, the upcoming game sequel to John Woo’s Hardboiled, has been delayed. Now scheduled to ship during Q1 2007, the game will star Chow Yun-Fat who dodges bullets and kicks ass, all the while looking awesomely cool, for the “honor of thy family.

Midway has officially announced Stranglehold for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, after teasing gamers at E3 2005. A “spiritual sequel” to John Woo’s “Hard Boiled,” the game sees Chow Yun-Fat reprising his role as Inspector Tequila, returning to kick butt and save his family who’ve been kidnapped by the Russian mob. High-resolution (and highly impressive) screenshots can be found on VE3D; a preview can also be found on IGN. Scoop:

SIGNATURE CINEMATIC ACTION
Stranglehold allows gamers to play a John Woodirected action blockbuster movie. Dual-wielding, stunt-laden gunplay combined with massive destructible environments ensures that Stranglehold will be a true tour-de-force. The environmental interactivity and two-fisted gunplay all come online, bringing the experience to a whole new level.

AMAZING GUNPLAY & STUNTS
Gamers will experience smooth flowing gameplay, such as running up railings, swinging on chandeliers and leaping onto moving objects, all without interrupting intense gun battles.

BLOCKBUSTER HOLLYWOOD TALENT
Featuring the cinematic flare of acclaimed action director John Woo, Stranglehold will also benefit from Woo’s direction on storyline, camera placement and cutscenes. Starring international action-star Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila, the game’s cast is also comprised of other A-list Hollywood talent.

GROUND-BREAKING TECHNOLOGY: MASSIVE D
The innovative physics engine will provide gamers with an unprecedented level of interactivity. With two huge areas to explore (Chicago and Hong Kong), the interactions will be infinite with each level offering massive amounts of destructibility.

INNOVATIVE TEQUILA TIME MECHANIC
Stranglehold’s unique Tequila Time slow-motion system goes well beyond the slow-motion gameplay that typifies so many current action games and allows players to simultaneously aim and shoot at targets with a greater degree of focus. In a case of art imitating art, John Woo is the master and originator of this style of gunplay action and it’s taken to a new level in Stranglehold.

UNREAL 3.0 AND HAVOK
Using a highly modified version of the Unreal 3.0 engine integrated with the Havok physics system, Stranglehold will breath new life into game envinronments and characters with stunning graphics. Incredible “Rock’n Roll” physics make it possible for everything in the world to be destructible and interactive, allowing for an ever changing battle ground depending on how players approach different situations.

The action shooter will be out this Winter from Midway’s Chicago studio.