BEIJING, Jan. 26 -- Although Zhang Ziyi lost out on the Golden Globe award for "Memoirs of a Geisha," it hasn't affected her Asian standing. According to Shenzhen Evening News, she is on the A-list of candidates to play the lover of the red-faced general Guan Yu (160-219) in the upcoming "Green Dragon Saber."

    The martial arts epic, to be directed by Li Shaohong, is adapted from the life of the great warrior Guan Yu, who lived during the Three Kingdoms period (208-280).

    Guan Yu, also called Guan Gong in Mandarin, lived at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220). He served as a general to Liu Bei, who founded the Kingdom of Shu, in West China's Sichuan Province.

    Taiwanese actor Takeshi Kaneshivo has been offered the leading role, the newspaper said. If Zhang is cast as his lover, it will be a reunion for the two international stars who played lovers in "House of Flying Daggers."

    Shifting from romance, director Li Shaohong may be following the lead of Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang in shooting martial art films in recent years. However, Li said, "I'm not following suit. Attempting to shoot all genres of films is every director's dream."

    Li Xiaowan, the producer, confirmed that Li Shaohong had contacted Zhang and Kaneshivo and hoped the couple will arrange their schedules to appear in the production, the newspaper said. Zhang is reportedly considering two Hollywood films. Whether she will appear in "Green Dragon Saber" will be determined after the Spring Festival.

    The film is scheduled to start shooting mid-year.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily)