Zhang Yimou and Steven Spielberg, the two most well-known international directors, are inclined to join hands to shoot Journey to the West, a classic Chinese fantasy novel written by Wu Cheng'en. 　　

 

Zhang Weiping, the producer of Zhang's new flick The City of Golden Armor, told Sina.com that "Shooting Journey to the West is just a plan. Everything has yet to be decided. We have been longing for a chance for them to co-direct a blockbuster. And Spielberg has shown his interest and intention to do so." 　　

 

As for the expected shooting schedule, Zhang Weiping added: "Zhang Yimou is the director of the 2008 Olympics and Spielberg is the artistic consultant. They both have to make full preparations for the Games. Zhang Yimou will not direct any other films until after the 2008 Olympics." 　　

 

Journey to the West was written during the Ming Dynasty. It tells of the adventure of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) Buddhist priest named San Zang (a real historical person) and his three disciples—the Monkey King, the pig and Friar Sand—as they travel west in search of Buddhist texts.

 

(CRI August 15, 2006)