James Cameron’s Avatar set new standards for both box office appeal and the power of 3D filmmaking.
The epic also allowed the eco-friendly auteur to embed his environmental activism into the narrative.
Will China’s answer to Avatar do the same?
The Hollywood Reporter says a Chinese film company is prepping a new feature meant to compete with Cameron’s film while touting the glories of Chinese culture.
Titled Bainiaoyi, the movie is based on the folklore of the Zhuang ethnic minority, a culture designated with national heritage importance by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.
Xinhua says the plot will revolve around a young man named Guka who tries to find the “bainiaoyi” — a magical piece of clothing — to help him defeat an evil dragon plaguing the Zhuang people….
Zhao Song, general manager of Beijing Chinese Century Media Company, said: “The goal of our team is to make Bainiaoyi an epic [Asian] romantic fantasy movie that can rival Avatar.”
Zhao added that he hopes that Bainiaoyi will become the best movie representation of Chinese classical culture ever released globally.