Li has played key roles in big-budget films, such as a "Transformers” installment, the 2012 video game adaptation “Resident Evil: Retribution” and the 2008 martial arts film “The Forbidden Kingdom.” (Photo : Xinhua)
Top Chinese actress Li Bingbing has signed to star in “Nest,” an English-language 3D sci-fi film from Australian director Kimble Rendall.
Li, best known by Western audiences for her role in "Transformers: Age of Extinction," will also serve as a filmmaker on the Chinese-Australian co-production, which is being represented by Darclight, the genre film spinoff of Sydney- and Los Angeles-based Arclight Films, The Hollywood Reporter said on Tuesday.
Pre-production ahead of a shoot in 3D is currently underway in Australia's Gold Coast and Darclight is pitching the film to distributors at the Toronto Film Festival this week.
The story revolves around a team of scientists who lose a colleague in an ancient labyrinth while trying to make the discovery of a lifetime. The group must battle their way through a swarm of deadly, man-eating funnel web spiders and discover the secret behind the creatures' power and unusual intelligence.
"Nest" is understood to be the largest Chinese-Australian co-production to date, with financing from federal funding body Screen Australia and from state film support agency Screen Queensland, according to Variety.
Rendall, best known for his second unit direction work on the "Matrix" films, made his directorial debut in 2012 with "Bait 3D," a similar Chinese-Australian joint venture, which was handled by Arclight and grossed $25 million at the Chinese box office.
The film's visual effects are being handled by Australia-based Rising Sun Pictures, whose previous work include "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and "The Great Gatsby."
"With a mesmerizing story, the brilliance of director Kimble Rendall, the breath-taking talent of Li Bingbing and an A-list special effects team, 'Nest' is perfectly positioned to be a major commercial success with thrill-seeking audiences all over the world," Ying Ye, managing director of Easternlight, Arclight's Asian film-focused subsidiary and one of the film's producers, told the media earlier this week.
The China production partner on the project is Loongs United Investment, a Beijing-based film and investment firm which was responsible for the Chinese distribution of "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit," and Jason Statham vehicle "Redemption."
Aside from his leading role in "Transformers," Li's Hollywood credits also include "Resident Evil: Retribution" and "The Forbidden Kingdom."
The recent Chinese films she has starred in, including "Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame" and "Zhongkui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal," have been some of the highest grossing movies in the country.
She is represented by Darren Boghosian at UTA, Fundamental Management and Attorney Karl Austen.
"We are excited to be working with the extremely talented Li Bingbing again, who is already a superstar in China and has a very broad appeal worldwide, winning over the hearts of audiences as well as top box-office numbers," said Ye.
