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Popular Anime a Slam Dunk as Live-Action Feature

Hong Kong's Emperor Motion Picture and Japan's Kadokawa Herald Pictures have teamed to adapt the popular SLAM DUNK manga into a live-action feature, VARIETY reports.

Kevin Chu Yin Ping (EXPECT A MIRACLE) will direct the pic, which starts shooting next week in Shanghai and Taiwan. It's scheduled for a winter 2008 release.

The $10 million film will be one of the most expensive Taiwanese movies of all time. Taiwan's Chang Hong Channel Group and Shanghai Film & Television Group are co-producing as well. Initial funding was garnered via pre-sales and Taiwanese government grants.

Emperor Motion Picture will handle the Hong Kong and Macau rights, Kadokawa the Japanese rights, PMP Ent. and Hua Yea Multimedia the Malaysian and Singapore rights and P.T. Teguh Bakti Mandiri the Indonesian rights.

The cast includes Taiwanese pop and CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER star Jay Chou, Charlene Choi (TWINS EFFECT) and Chen Bo-lin (A CHINESE TALL STORY).

CURSE's Oscar-nominated costume designer Yee Chung Man will be the art director. Tony Ching Siu Tung (CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS) will serves as the action director with Zhao Xiao Ding (CURSE) as the DP.

The original 31-volume manga SURAMUDANKU followed the exploits of a high school basketball team. The Takehiko Inoue penned series sold more than 100 million copies in Japan. Toei Animation adapted the manga into an animated series and four animated features during the '90s.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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