Anyone familiar with Chinese history must have heard at least once about the four classic beauties of ancient China (四大美人). They were Xi Shi of Yue, Wang Zhaojun of the Western Han, Diao Chan from the three kingdoms period and, last but not least, Yang Guifei of Tang, still the most renowned of all four (the guifei/贵妃 here is not a name, but a title indicating the highest ranked imperial consort). She was protagonist of countless films (from China to even Japan) and TV series, last played by Fan Bingbing, and another Hunan TV series entitled 杨贵妃秘史 (The Secret History of Yang Guifei) and starring Anthony Wong is actually in production. But it seems like the enchantress from Emperor Xuanzong's reign will make her way back to the big screen, with a China-UK co-production entitled 杨贵妃 (Yang Guifei).

The £12 million film will be written by Chen Han of 赤壁 (Red Cliff) and 孔子 (Confucius), and four candidates were previously announced for the director's chair (John Woo, Ang Lee, Peter Chan and Chen Kaige), with Chen seemingly in pole position at the moment. Chen is also preparing another famous historical epic starring Sun Honglei, the adaptation of classic Yuan dynasty play 赵氏孤儿 (Orphan of Zhao), and last starred in the 60th anniversary potboiler 建国大业 (The Founding of a Republic) as warlord Feng Yuxiang.

[Mtime]