China's LeVision Pictures has picked up its first U.S. project, an epic fantasy adventure titled "8 Immortals" inspired by Chinese mythology from the writer Jeremy Breslau, the first in its plan to make China-Hollywood blockbuster co-productions.
LeVision Pictures USA plans to attach a high-profile Hollywood director and partner with a major studio for what will be an English-language Chinese-American co-production.
The movie will be the starting point of what LeVision described as "an expansive development slate" that will utilize top-flight talent from Hollywood and China to create $100 million-plus tentpoles for the global marketplace.
"8 Immortals" taps into the tradition of ancient Chinese legends and centers on a teen boy in Beijing who discovers that an incredible destiny awaits him.
The script will be written by Breslau based on an original treatment he sold to LeVision Pictures USA, and is intended to be the first in a conceived franchise.
LeVision Pictures is currently collaborating with Legendary East on the $135 million "Great Wall", directed by Zhang Yimou, which is being seen as a template for co-productions between Hollywood and China.
In October, LeVision set up an office in L.A. and said it would bankroll its Hollywood campaign with a $200 million film fund to make blockbusters.
LeVision's parent company is LeTV, which produced The Expendables 3 and the recent Zhang Yimou movie, Coming Home, has a stake in the Tiny Times franchise and is heavily involved in John Woo's recently launched epic, The Crossing.
"Jeremy [Breslau] is not only immensely talented, but one of the few Hollywood writers with a genuine love for the depth and remarkable breadth of the Chinese folkloric tradition," said Simon Sun, executive vp LeVision Pictures USA.
"We couldn't be more excited for this to be the first project from LeVision Pictures USA, as it embodies exactly the kind of large-scale, Chinese-culture-inspired story we're looking for," said Sun.
(Origin title: "China's LeVision Pictures Picks Up Epic Fantasy Adventure '8 Immortals'")