Actress Liu Yifei is set to lead Wilson Yip's upcoming film "A Chinese Ghost Story". [sohu.com]

Stars Yu Shaoqun and Liu Yifei have been chosen by director Wilson Yip to lead his upcoming film, "A Chinese Ghost Story", Sohu.com reports.

The film is a remake of the 1987 hit of the same name, which starred Joey Wong and the late Leslie Cheung, and is generally regarded as a classic.

Yu Shaoqun, who won rave reviews for playing the younger Peking opera master, Mei Lanfang, in "Forever Enthralled", will play the character portrayed by Leslie Cheung in the original film. Liu Yifei of "The Forbidden Kingdom" will take on Joey Wong's role.

The original film, which was loosely based on a short story by 17th-century writer Pu Songling, tells a love story between a tax collector, Ning Caichen (Leslie Cheung), and a ghost named Nie Xiaoqian (Joey Wong).

There has been skepticism whether Yu Shaoqun and Liu Yifei could reprise the classic story, according to Sohu.com.

Acknowledging pressures, director Yip told the Web site that he would try to freshen the film for movie-goers.

The project is yet to be given a release date as screenwriters are still working on the screenplay.

(CRI July 31, 2009)