CHINA is preparing to produce its own 3D fantasy movie based on romantic folklore, with aims to make it an epic on par with the U.S. blockbuster “Avatar.”

    “Bainiaoyi” is expected to start shooting in May 2015 in Hengxian County of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and debut in the regional capital Nanning at the end of 2016.

    The movie is based on folklore from the Zhuang ethnic minority in which a young man named Guka tries to find the bainiaoyi, a type of magical clothing, and defeats an evil dragon that bullies the Zhuang people.

    The production team includes special effects directors from “Avatar” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” as well as a scriptwriter from “Terminator 2” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” according to Zhao Song, general manager of Beijing Chinese Century Media Company who is producing the film. (SD-Agencies)