Jet Li returning to Chinese-language film with Ocean Paradise

THR reports that Jet Li is set to star in his first Chinese-language film since the 2007 Peter Chan-directed historical epic The Warlords.

Li will top-line the directorial debut of Chinese screenwriter Xue Xiao-lu (Together With You), titled Ocean Paradise.

After two successful Hollywood/Chinese co-productions, including The Forbidden Kingdom, which he co-starred with Jackie Chan, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Li announced in May last year that he would take a break from movies to dedicate his time to charity work. Since then he played a supporting role in the upcoming Sylvester Stallone action opus The Expendables, and made an appearance with major stars of the Chinese film industry in The Great Cause of China’s Foundation, a $6 million epic produced to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which is scheduled for release next month.

Ocean Paradise, which is described as a drama, is set to begin lensing immediately, with Li starring as the father of an autistic child opposite Kwai Lun-Mei. ‘Ocean’ is scheduled to open in Chinese theaters in the Spring of 2010.