Ridley Scott to collaborate with ‘Hero’ director Zhang Yimou?

"Hero" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Chinese Films offers word that acclaimed Hollywood director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) might be teaming up with Hero and House of Flying Daggers mastermind Zhang Yimou for a new film. The project is based off the Chinese opera Qin Shi Huang, which Zhang Yimou served as stage director on and Ridley saw performed in New York in 2006.

The opera itself was inspired by the 1996 film The First Emperor, which was initially banned in China but eventually re-released into theaters eight months later.

Ridley Scott’s latest film, Prometheus, just opened in China a week ago. It’s thought that Ridley would ask Zhang Yimou to serve as producer on the Qin Shi Huang film while Ridley himself would direct.

Western media outlets aren’t picking up the story quite yet, though, so it’s perhaps all a bit speculative at the moment.