In Daniel Lee’s (Three Kingdoms) 65 million-dollar budget film Dragon Blade – a record for Chinese cinema – Jackie Chan (Shanghai Noon) stars as Huo An, a commander framed and enslaved by malicious forces during China’s Han dynasty. He soon teams up with Roman soldier Lucius, portrayed by John Cusack (High Fidelity), who has escaped to China, fleeing from the Roman Emperor Tiberius, played by Adrien Brody (The Pianist).

As previously reported on our site, Lee has a penchant for Chinese historical films. Dragon Blade will add new fervor to the genre however, with the incorporation of the imperial Roman Empire and the rarely seen relations between the two powers. Aside from the formidable Chan, the additions of Cusack and Brody – two relatively successful Hollywood actors – may help to draw in an even larger audience to the niche genre.

Chan has the rebooted Karate Kid 2 and Rush Hour 4 on the horizon, while Cusack can be seen next year in David Cronenberg’s Map to the Stars. Coincidentally, Brody will be starring in another Roman adventure titled Emperor.

Dragon Blade will have a Chinese theatrical release on February 19. Distribution for the U.S. is still unplanned.