Japanese major Shochiku has acquired international rights excluding Asia to legendary producer Haruki Kadokawa's $25m Genghis Khan - To The Ends Of The Earth And Sea.

Shochiku will distribute the film in Japan and also handle all international sales, excluding Asia, which will be handled by co-producer Avex Entertainment. Domestic release is scheduled for March 3 on around 400 screens.

Kadokawa brought large-scale filmmaking back to Japan with his 2005 comeback hit Yamato, paving the way for his long-gestating Genghis Khan project, which was timed to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Mongolia 's foundation.

Genghis Khan - To The Ends Of The Earth And Sea depicts the life of the conqueror from his birth until his ascension to ruler over the vast Mongolian empire he created. The film is directed by Shinichiro Sawai and stars Takashi Sorimachi (Yamato) and Rei Kikukawa (Godzilla: Final Wars).

Shot over four months on location with the full cooperation of the Mongolian government, the massive production features thousands of local extras and large-scale battle scenes. Kadokawa presided over a special screening of the film on Monday in Mongolia 's capital city of Ulan Bator to great acclaim.

'Given all of the special elements in place, we're confident that it will play well and will be very well received not only in Japan but throughout the worldwide marketplace,' said Teruki Matsumoto, managing director of Shochiku's Motion Picture Operations.

Another big-budget Genghis Khan film is in the works - Sergei Bodrov's Mongol - which stars Japan 's Tadanobu Asano in the lead role. The film focuses on the earlier life of the conqueror and is set for a mid-2007 release. Germany 's Beta Cinema has sold the film to multiple territories including the US where it will be released by Picturehouse.

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