BEIJING, July 12 -- Zhang Yimou is probably the most sought-after Chinese director, and almost any news about him makes the headlines.

   

World famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou (R) posts a photo with kung fu star Jackie Chan both awarded at the Shanghai International Film Festival. [newsphoto]

In the latest wave of excitement surrounding Zhang, China's press are hot on the heels of an announcement, that the influential director is to team up with global stars Jackie Chan and Gong Li.

    The news first broke at the Beijing press conference for the "The Myth", where Chan revealed he would cooperate with Zhang for a movie which "would shock at least half the whole world." Zhang's collaboration with Chan was later confirmed by the director's longtime partner Zhang Weiping.

    "Negotiations are under way," Zhang Weiping said. "Zhang Yimou and Jackie Chan are both looking forward to a joint project, just as Chan said that he had been waiting for years. But the current problem is that the script has not been finished yet. So I cannot tell you about the exact shooting date."

    Zhang Weiping seemed confident of a successful outcome to the project. "Both of them have great influence in the international movie market Zhang as the director and Chan as the actor who can represent the highest level of Chinese filmmaking. Their joint project is sure to wow the whole world," he said.

    Zhang Weiping also revealed that it would be a martial arts movie and that shooting might start in 2007.

    But before the Zhang Yimou-Jackie Chan project can begin however, Zhang Yimou is rumored to be preparing another movie with leading actors Chow Yun-fat and Gong Li.

    But Zhang Weiping rejected the story as ungrounded. "The script hasn't been finished and we haven't decided who will be cast," he said.

    If Gong Li was to be cast as leading lady, it would be her first time working with Zhang Yimou after a more than 10-year gap, a subject which is feeding much media speculation.

    Public interest is focused on whether the cooperation might rekindle a romance between the two, who used to be lovers. Zhang Weiping said that if they joined hands, the cooperation would be a "pure artistic act without any affectionate factor."

    Concerning the genre of Zhang's next movie, Zhang Weiping said it would not be a martial arts movie, although there would be martial arts elements woven into the plotline.

    Zhang Yimou has just finished post-production of "Lonely Ride over a Long Distance" which has been submitted for censoring; he is now preparing for a new musical titled "Impression Lijiang."

    Zhang is set finish off a busy 2005 as jury chairman at this year's Tokyo International Film Festival, after going to Hawaii to accept a coveted life achievement award at the Hawaii International Film Festival.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)