Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi is expected to star in a live-action
version of Mulan, which will be jointly produced by Harvey
Weinstein and Beijing-based City Glory Picture Company.
Weinstein is one of Hollywood's most prolific heavy-weight
producers known for his role as executive vice-producer for
blockbusters Lord of the Rings and Kill Bill.
The deal between Harvey Weinstein and the Beijing-based City
Glory Picture, calls on the partners to split the US$20 million
cost of Mulan.
Staff with City Glory said that is the first time Weinstein has
invested in a Chinese production.
Hua Mulan, a legendary Chinese heroine, is the protagonist of a
folk tale that has been told for centuries in China. She was a
young woman who disguised herself as a man to take her father's
place in battle 1,500 years ago.
The story was first put on the screen in a 1956 Chinese
production, 50 years before it was adapted into a cartoon film by
Walt Disney Inc.
"Mulan enabled Walt Disney Inc to rake in US$300 million,
which no doubt left an indelible impression on Weinstein," said a
City Glory staff member who asked to remain anonymous.
A famous Taiwan scriptwriter wrote the script four years ago
with encouragement from Malaysian-Chinese actress Michelle Yeoh,
who starred in the Oscar-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon.
"We got the script with the help of Michelle Yeoh," the City
Glory staff said, adding that the script "was hot property among
overseas film makers."
Both Yeoh and Chinese mega-star Zhang have been courted by other
producers who have for several years attempted to put together a
live-action Mulan production.
"We will select the right cast and crew for Mulan from
among the most popular stars and directors," the City Glory staff
said, stressing that the original Mulan story will be
preserved.
Shooting is expected to begin next February.
Besides signing on for Mulan, Zhang also has signed on
for two other movies to be produced by Weinstein, including a
remake of Japanese classic The Seven Samurai, a news report
said.
Zhang confirmed she would star in the three movies when she met
Weinstein at Cannes, the Chinese-language news Web site Sina.com
reported last Friday.
The report did not say what the subject of the third film would
be.
Zhang's roles in both movies will involve her playing women
disguised as men, the report said.
In the remake of The Seven Samurai, Akira Kurosawa's 1954
classic, Zhang will play a villager who dresses as a man to protect
herself from bandits, Sina.com said.
Zhang was last seen in the Hollywood drama Memoirs of a
Geisha. Her new movie, the Chinese-language, Hamlet-inspired
ancient court drama The Banquet (Ye Yan) is due for release
later this year.
(China Daily June 8, 2006)
