Immortals director Tarsem Singh brings on Gong Li to star in his Marco Polo project

Tarsem Singh seems to possess what is perhaps one of the strongest visual senses this side of David Fincher + Zach Snyder, something which he has put to varying degrees of good use with past projects THE CELL, THE FALL, IMMORTALS, and MIRROR MIRROR.  And Tarsem’s next project looks to possess just as much potential for visual storytelling on a grand scale, as it is going to be a cinematic exploration of Marco Polo’s 13th Century journeys through China.

Now while Marco Polo himself remains yet uncast, Gong Li has signed on to the production as a Mongolian Empress.  “So far the collaboration between China and the US has mainly involved Chinese actors going to work aborad,” says Li, “so it’s a great thing to have a Chinese story shoot in China with both Chinese and foreign actors.”  Li hasn’t yet met Tarsem, but she expressed the opinion that he is exactly the sort of “audacious film-maker you need to make a film about Marco Polo.”

Production is scheduled to begin towards the end of this year in Inner Mongolia, so hopefully we’ll be hearing about more developments on the casting front soon.  I would also gladly do with some concept art Tarsem, if you’re reading this…