Singaporean filmmaker Kelvin Tong is set to direct a suspense thriller, Kidnapper, which will be co-financed by Singapore’s Scorpio East Pictures and Malaysia’s RAM Pictures & PMP Entertainment.

Produced by Tong’s production outfit Boku Films, the film follows an ordinary taxi driver’s determination to rescue his kidnapped son. Tong says he aims to make the film moving as well as suspenseful.

The film will star Singapore’s Christopher Lee and Malaysian actor Jack Lim. Lee previously starred in Ekachai Uekrongtham’s The Wedding Game and Jack Neo’s Best Bet. Lim’s credits include Neo’s Ah Long Pte Ltd and Love Matters co-directed by Neo and Gilbert Chan.

Scorpio East started talking to Tong about the project after he pitched them the premise via a text message. “We quickly sat down with Kelvin and his team to work out the possibilities of making an exciting thriller that will not only work locally but has a shot of travelling overseas,” said Scorpio East COO Lim Teck.

Tong is one of Singapore’s leading filmmakers with hits such as horror film The Maid and more recently horror cop thriller Rule Number One which won best Singaporean film at the Singapore International Film Festival.

Kidnapper is being scheduled for release in March/April 2010.