Some hot-off-the-press news now from the pages of The Hollywood Reporter. Jan De Bont, the helmer of such high-octane Hollywood actioners like Speed and Twister (he was also DoP on the original Die Hard), is to step behind the camera for Mulan, a new adaptation of the classic take to star Eastern actress Zhang  Ziyi.

What we know about the film so far: It will start shooting this Fall in Shanghai. Ziyi will play the title role. John Blickstead wrote the screenplay.

My only cinematic experience of Mulan was the 1990′s Disney flick, which was actually quite good, but the story basically revolves around a young (female) heroine soldier who joins an all-male army. That tale was first described in a 6th century poem.

The proposed film will be independently produced, and will be in the Enlish language, according to the trade.

Ziyi’s screen credits include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2046, Hero and Memoirs of a Geisha.