Pennon Times, a Beijing-based stage performance producer, announced on Monday that it will work with iQiyi, China's leading online video platform, on a feature-length film and stage drama based on the same script.
Kui Long Jade, based a true story from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), depicts the relationship between Zhu Qizhen, an emperor, who was captured by Mongol rulers from the north, and his loyal guard.
The drama will to be staged in August, but the release date for the film is yet to be decided. There are also plans for an animation production and a novel based on the same story.
Meanwhile, Pennon Times has also begun preparations for other stage dramas, which will also have film versions. Among them is You and the Other Half, an urban fantasy involving two sisters.
Separately, Pennon Times also announced plans for a Sino-US sitcom Hollywood Casino. The sitcom, whose plot will feature four Chinese Americans and two Mandarin speakers from China, aims to combine comedy from two cultures.
Pennon Times, formerly known as Century Pennon, was set up in 2009. It has so far produced 24 stage dramas, which have toured 48 cities in China.
