Celestial Pictures is co-producing with Beijing-based Skyland Films and production company DW Films Limited.

Celestial Pictures announced the shooting of its first feature film production, My Kingdom, a martial arts drama to be produced by Andre Morgan (The Warlords) and starring Taiwanese Wu Chun (14 Blades), Barbie Hsu (Reign of Assassins) and mainland Chinese pop idol Han Geng.

Celestial Pictures is co-producing with Beijing-based Skyland Films and production company DW Films Limited. Based on an original script by writer Zou Jingzhi (Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles), My Kingdom is directed by mainland music producer and filmmaker Gao Xiaosong.  Action director will be Hong Kong Action star and veteran action director Sammo Hung (Ip Man, Ip Man 2).

Currently shooting in Shanghai, the film is set for release in the second half of 2011.

My Kingdom tells the story of two brothers’ quest for fame, love and revenge, back dropped by the Shanghai opera stage during its 1920s heyday. The story blends martial arts onstage and offstage with a suspense-filled love story defying the genre of martial arts epics today.

In addition to co-producing the film, Celestial Pictures will be responsible for worldwide sales excluding mainland China. Skyland Films will be handling sales and marketing within China.

According to Celestial’s distribution executive Peter Poon, My Kingdom was well-received at the recent American Film Market. Celestial had concluded a deal with Golden Screen Cinemas for Malaysian and is currently finalising deals in other major territories including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia.

Established in 2001, Celestial Pictures is a subsidiary of Malaysian Astro All Asia Networks plc.  It owns the 760-title Shaw Brothers library, which it has licensed in more than 100 territories, operates 4 TV channels and produces film and TV content.

The company stepped into film production early this year under the management of CEO Ross Pollack.