Star Chinese Movies (SCM) will co-finance the highly-anticipated sequel to Singapore-Malaysian box office hit The Wedding Diary, directed by Malaysia’s Adrian Teh.

SCM will co-produce with Singapore’s Clover Films, Malaysia’s GSC Movies, Mega Cineplex and Asia Tropical Films, and Hong Kong’s Universe Entertainment.

The Wedding Diary II will reunite the original cast including Malaysian singer-actor-director Aniu, Hong Kong actresses Elanne Kwong and Kara Hui and Singapore veterans Jack Choo and Marcus Chin. Also joining the cast is popular Taiwanese actress Cynthia Wang. Additional cameos and guest appearances will be announced at a later stage.

The Wedding Diary topped both the Singapore and Malaysian box offices when it was released over the Valentine’s Day period in February this year. It will be released theatrically in Hong Kong this September by Intercontinental Films and in China by Universe Entertainment. SCM has also acquired the cable TV rights to The Wedding Diary in multiple territories.

The sequel, which starts shooting on June 30 first in Singapore and then Malaysia, is being lined up for release over the Chinese New Year holidays in February 2013. The film will be co-distributed in Singapore by Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures, and by GSC Movies in Malaysia.

Clover Films managing director Lim Teck said: “We are especially delighted to have an established regional powerhouse such as Star Chinese Movies come on board as investor – this surely is a glowing endorsement for all Southeast Asian co-productions.”

Cora Yim, vice president of programming for Chinese entertainment channels at Fox International Channels, said: “We are grateful for this opportunity to extend our relationship with Clover Films from licensing to co-productions. We are especially excited as this will be our first co-produced film under the new recently rebranded SCM in Singapore.”