The Mark Gordon Company and the Koch Company along with Chinese entertainment studio Pegasus Media Group and China Film Group have teamed up for English-language feature film Edge of the World from screenwriters David Seidler and Jacqueline Feather.
Pegasus and China Film Group will finance the action-filled transcontinental love story, which will be produced by Mark Gordon, Hawk Koch and Jianjun "Jay" Sun. Jeff Aghassi will executive produce.
The feature is anticipated to be filmed on location in China later in 2016.
"Edge of the World whisks audiences away on a gripping journey around the world, and we are fortunate to lend even greater authenticity to the story by filming in China and its beautiful settings. I am happy to be working with Pegasus, China Film Group, and my good friend Hawk in bringing this gripping film to life," said Gordon in a statement.
Based on actual events from the 1930s, Edge of the World centers on self-driven New York socialite and fashion designer Ruth Harkness. When her on-again off-again fiancé goes missing while searching for a mythical creature in China, she goes to Shanghai to find out what happened. The dire news sends her on a harrowing quest deep into the heart of China and leads Ruth to unexpected love and adventure that subsequently introduces the West to the first living Panda.
"China is on the way to overtake the US as the world’s largest film market in 2017 based on last year's 48.7 percent box office growth. We believe co-production is the best approach for U.S. and Chinese filmmakers to take advantage of this huge market opportunity considering China's current import quota system," said Sun, producer and president of Beijing-based Pegasus Media Group. "Edge of the World has the potential to become a successful model for future U.S.-China co-productions and we look forward to working with Mark and Hawk, as well as our long-time partner China Film Group."