Mulan and Animal Crackers helmer Tony Bancroft has signed on to direct the musical Songhua, a Chinese animated feature.
The announcement was made during a signing ceremony on day two of the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Written by Joe Bockol, the movie will be co-produced by Astro-Nomical Entertainment in association with Pelagius Entertainment.
Set in an ancient mythical world of ice, Songhua follows a quick-witted spirit who helps a young princess and an underdog hero fulfill their destinies and save their homeland.
The project has been budgeted at $35 million. The producers say they aspire for the film to appeal to families in both China and around the world.
The film is produced by Jay Ahn, Chris Henderson and Joe Fries, with Pelagius Entertainment’s Natalie Khoury serving as executive producer.
