Actress Zhao Wei speaks during Jack Ma Foundation Rural Teachers Awards in Sanya, China, on Jan. 18, 2016. (Photo : Getty Images)
It is now official that the late 1990s hit Chinese costume drama “My Fair Princess” will be adapted into an animation feature.
According to Variety, lead Chinese actress and director Vicky Zhao Wei will helm the animated feature film version. Alibaba Pictures Group, the film production and investment branch of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, will produce the animated film.
Writer Chiung Yao wrote "My Fair Princess" in Taiwan, and it is set in 18th century Qing Dynasty during the Qianlong Emperor's reign, according to China Entertainment News.
The Cinderella-like storyline follows Xiaoyanzi, initially an orphan, as she becomes princess accidentally. While the drama has only two main seasons that were first broadcast in 1998 and 1999, reruns are still seen on Chinese TV channel.
The film is regarded as the most commercially successful Chinese-language series in history.
"My Fair Princess" propelled Zhao and co-star Fan Bingbing to stardom. Reports reveal that the film was jointly produced by Taiwan's Yi Ren Communications and China's Hunan Broadcasting, making Hunan one of China's biggest TV groups.
Director Zhao who featured in "Shaolin Soccer," "Painted Skin" and "Red Cliff," switched tack and in 2014 directed hit drama movie titled "So Young."
The director is also one of Alibaba Pictures' major shareholders, whereby she and her husband own 1.93 billion shares that translate to 9.3 percent. The holding is currently worth $410 million.
Currently, the production house, Alibaba Pictures, is assembling a slate that mixes up live action and animated movies. It was recently a minority backer of "Little Door Gods," the first film to move from Light Chaser Animation.
