Zhang Ziyi is attached to star in Feng Xiaogang's $15mperiod drama The Banquet which has been set up as a co-productionbetween Beijing-based Huayi Brothers and Hong Kong's Media Asia.
Thefilm's stellar cast also includes Feng regular Ge You, hot up-and-comingactress Zhou Xun and Hong Kong star Daniel Wu. Production is scheduled to startin September or October with a crew including action director Yuen Wo-ping andOscar winners Tim Yip and Tan Dun.
Huayi is keeping tightlipped about the story of the filmwhich is thought to be loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. Local pressreports claim that Ge will play an emperor to Zhang's empress in a tale set inancient China.
Huayiwas previously in talks with Japanese and Korean companies about co-financingthe film but has chosen to reteam with Hong Kong powerhouse Media Asia.
The two companies co-produced Feng's last film - A WorldWithout Thieves - which grossed US$13.3m (RMB110m) in China and was alsodistributed widely across Asia. Media Asia will both co-produce andco-distribute Feng's new film with Huayi.
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