John Woo's upcoming film about the Flying Tigers in Yunnan will star Tom Cruise, reuniting the Mission: Impossible II director and star, according to a report in Variety.

In July, Hong Kong action director Woo signed on to direct the movie, which will be called Flying Tiger Heroes (飞虎群英) in Chinese. With a projected budget of US$100 million, it will be the most expensive movie ever made in China.

At the Beijing press conference where Woo was named director of the film project, it was announced that filming would begin before the end of this year. Woo said the film will contain the most spectacular aerial battle scenes ever seen in Chinese cinema.

He added that the movie would highlight the spirit of Yunnan culture as well as Chinese heroes from World War II and the US-China friendship that led to the founding of the Flying Tigers.

Hollywood blog Rope of Silicon is reporting that Tom Cruise and scriptwriter Chris McQuarrie (Valkyrie, The Usual Suspects) were attached to the project as early as December 2008.

The Flying Tigers were a group of American pilots who helped China with its war of resistance against Japan before the US officially entered World War II. It is believed that Cruise will play the part of Claire Lee Chennault, the commander of the Flying Tigers, who is one of the most respected foreign military figures in China.

"This is an extremely important production," Woo said at the signing ceremony in July. "This Yunnan-themed film emphasizes China-US friendship and the contributions of the Flying Tigers and the people of Yunnan during the War of Resistance."

Update: It appears that the Variety article may have been jumping the gun on Cruise appearing in Woo's film, according to cinematical.com. Thanks to Colin Flahive for the tip.

John Woo and Tom Cruise image: IMDB

Hong Kong action director John Woo (吴宇森) has signed on to direct a China-Hollywood joint production about the Flying Tigers, according to a Dushi Shibao report.

The movie, which will begin filming this year, is expected to cost US$100 million, which will make it the most expensive Chinese film made to date, the report said.

A signing ceremony for the film, called "Flying Tiger Heroes" (飞虎群英) in Chinese, was held in Beijing on July 3, with Lion Rock Productions, Fengde Dadi Culture and Media Co Ltd and the Propaganda Bureau of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan provincial government all inking a cooperation agreement for the film.

Woo, director of popular action movies in Hong Kong such as "Hard Boiled" and Hollywood films including "Mission: Impossible 2", said the movie will feature the most spectacular aerial battle scenes ever seen in Chinese cinema. He added that the movie would highlight the spirit of Yunnan culture as well as Chinese heroes from World War II and the US-China friendship that led to the founding of the Flying Tigers.

Woo will have his hands full presenting an accurate account of the Flying Tigers, whose history is often misrepresented or misunderstood in both China and the US. Officially known as the American Volunteer Group, the Yunnan-based Flying Tigers flew missions against Japanese bombers and fighters from December 1941 to July 1942 in southern China and Myanmar, then known as Burma.

"This is an extremely important production," Woo said at the signing ceremony. "Currently, basic preparations for shooting work have already been made and in a month we'll confirm the script. This Yunnan-themed film emphasizes China-US friendship and the contributions of the Flying Tigers and the people of Yunnan during the War of Resistance."