Jan & Mulan

Filmmaker Jan de Bont ("Twister," "Speed") will direct an independently-produced, English-language live-action biopic about legendary Chinese young heroine soldier Hua Mulan says The Hollywood Reporter.

Zhang Ziyi ("Rush Hour 2," "Memoirs of a Geisha") stars as Mulan

John Blickstead writes the script

Pre-production is underway currently in Beijing and fluent English-speaking Asian actors are currently being sought for supporting roles before shooting kicks off this Fall at the Hengdian World Studios outside of Shanghai.

The film is scheduled to wrap in January.