LOS ANGELES:

“The Deer and the Cauldron”, one of the bestknown martial arts novel series, is to be reborn as a major feature film franchise. Hong Kong’s

Pang Ho-cheung (“Love in a Puff”, “Isabella”) is to produce and direct.

Pang plans to shoot three movies, back to back, each with a budget of $80 million. Shooting begins production in mid2019, with a theatrical release for the first from 2021.

Production will be through Pang’s own Making Film. International sales and finance are being organized through mainland Chinese-backed Hong Kong entertainment conglomerate Bravos Pictures.

Bravos is introducing the franchise at the European Film market, annex to the Berlin Film Festival. (RTRS)