Asian actors Jet Li, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro will star in Ci Ma (This Violent Land) , according to Variety. The film is based in the Qing Dynasty-era and will have a $40 million-budget.

Peter Ho-Sun Chan will direct the film and the female lead(s) have yet to be cast.

Ci Ma is a heroic tale of three blood brothers and their struggle in the midst of war and political upheaval. It is based on "The Assassination of Ma," a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) story about the killing of general Ma Xinyi. The story was filmed by Zhang Che in 1973 as The Blood Brothers.

Ci Ma follows the success of historical epics Hero, The Banquet and China's foreign language Oscar hopeful Curse of the Golden Flower.

Locations will be Beijing, Shanghai and Hengdian. Art director will be Chung-Man Yee, stunts will be choreographed by Siu-Tung Ching, while cinematography will be by Arthur Wong.