John Woo’s Epic Film Red Cliff due in Summer 08

Red Cliff, alternatively known as The Battle of Red Cliff, is a two-episode Chinese epic film based on the Battle of Red Cliffs and events during the Three Kingdoms period in Ancient China. The first episode is expected to be released in 2008.

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The film is directed by John Woo and stars Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Hu Jun, Lin Chi-ling and Zhao Wei.

With an estimated budget of US$80 million, The Battle of Red Cliff is the most expensive Asian-financed film to date.

According to Han Sanping, veteran producer and the CEO of China Film Group, one of the chief investors in the film, The Battle of Red Cliff currently has too much material to include in a single feature. It will therefore be divided into two episodes, with the first to be released before the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the second only at the end of 2008.