Director Chen Kaige (R), his actress wife Chen Hong (L) and actor Sun Honglei applaud at a press conference on Wednesday, September 16, 2009. [New Beijing Times]

Director Chen Kaige said at a press conference on Wednesday that he plans to adapt the ancient Chinese play "Zhao's Orphan" for the big screen, the New Beijing Times reports.

A 25-acre ancient city will be built for the filming of "Zhao's Orphan" in Xiangshan, east China's Zhejiang Province, on a budget of 40 million yuan ($6 million). Construction is expected to end by the year end.

Production will start next year, although the cast has yet to be revealed.

Actor Sun Honglei attended the press conference "to promote the film as a friend of the director."

"If the director invites me to join the cast, I will," Sun said.

However, the New Beijing Times cited an unnamed source who said Sun would be one of the film's leading stars.

"Zhao's Orphan", which has seen many stage incarnations in Chinese opera houses, is the story of a rural doctor 2,500 years ago, who saves the newborn son of the chancellor of the Jin Kingdom, whose family is executed because of political slander. The doctor decides to raise the boy so he can avenge his family.

The story was once adapted by the French writer Voltaire as "The Orphan of China" in the 18th century.

In 1998, when Chen shot his acclaimed film "The Emperor and the Assassin", the palace of Emperor Qin was reconstructed in its entirety at Hengdian World Studios. It is now a popular filming location and tourist spot. The local government of Xiangshan is hoping that the "City of Zhao's Orphan" will become a similar attraction in the east China town.

(CRI September 18, 2009)