China Media News

BEIJING --- Sony Pictures Classics, the art house division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, has invested in mainland director Zhang Yimou's new film, Amazing Tales: Three Guns (Sanqing Paian Jingqi).

Sony announced that it has formed a "production partnership" with Zhang Yimou but publicist Bebe Lerner declined to say how much Sony is investing. Sony has also bought the distribution rights in North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand. The mainland distributor, Beijing New Picture Film, told Chinese media that the film will be distributed on a minimum guarantee and profit-sharing basis.

Based on the Coen Brother's 1984 release Blood Simple, the new film will follow the story of a Chinese noodle shop owner who plots to kills his wife and her lover. Currently in production and slated for a 2010 release, Amazing Tales is Zhang Yimou's first movie since he oversaw the opening and closing ceremonies for last year's Beijing Olympics.

Sony Pictures Classics has cooperated with Beijing New Picture Film to distribute a number of Zhang Yimou's former releases, including House of Flying Daggers (Shimian Maifu) and Curse of the Golden Flower (Mancheng Jindai Huang Jinjia).