U.S. production house the Weinstein Company has announced that a sequel to the hit film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is to be made.

But Ang Lee, director of the original film, will not be at the helm of the sequel that's set for production this year.

Word on the street is that Ronny Yu, the director of Fearless starring Jet Li, will be offered the project.

Lee's film starring Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-fat, won four Academy Awards 12 years ago.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was based on writer Wang Dulu's fourth novel in the Crane Iron Pentalogy, and the sequel will be based on the fifth.

Neither the Weinstein Company nor Lee has made comment as to why he won't direct the new film. Also unknown is whether any Crouching Tiger actors will return.

Zhang Ziyi recently said that The Grandmaster will be her last martial-arts film.

Lee's latest project, fantasy 3-D film Life of Pi has received 11 Oscar nominations for this year's Academy Awards.

(CRIENGLISH.com January 30, 2013)