Zhang Yimou's new heroine Yan Ni

Producer Zhang Weiping has announced China's leading director Zhang Yimou's new film "Amazing Tales: Three Guns" will star new leading actress Yan Ni.

Yan has found fame as a TV actress, playing a shop owner of a bar in the popular series Wulin Legend. She is replacing Wang Xiaohua who was Zhang’s first choice but who pulled out of the project. No reason was given to this decision. Some fans speculate that Yan has been chosen because she has more star appeal.

Chinese fans of the Coen Brothers’ classic Blood Simple have been suspicious that Zhang’s film is heavily based on this US black comedy.

The film is Zhang’s first crime thriller comedy, and is being filmed in northwestern China’s Gansu Province. Actor Sun Honglei and comedian Xiao Shenyang are also among the cast.

(Global Times June 19, 2009)