John Woo has signed to direct the big budget romance film 1949, and is scheduled to start production as soon as he finishes up his epic Red Cliff.Variety reports 1949 is a $40 million Chinese language film with Woo lined up to produce. Terence Chang‘s Lion Rock and Fortissimo Films are set to handle worldwide rights outside China.
The film is based on a true story that happened at the end of WWII and the final years of the Chinese Civil War.
1949 will star Chang Chen and Korea’s Song Hye-kyo. It was written by Wang Hui-Ling (Lust Caution and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).
The film is scheduled to start shooting in December in China and Taiwan with theatrical release planned for December 2009 and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
