Ziyi Zhang is in talks to star in Waiting, based on Ha Jin's National Book Award-winning novel, according to Variety.

The story is about a doctor in China's Revolutionary Army, trapped in an arranged marriage, who falls in love with a nurse. Plans for the English-language movie started in 2001, and little has happened since. Chan (Perhaps Love) was adapting the novel and was set to direct and produce the film.

At the time, Chow Yun-fat was in talks to star, but now producers are wooing a newer generation of stars, including Zhang and Takeshi Kaneshiro.

The movie is being talked up as the next project for Chan, who is in Beijing working on post-production for Warlords, starring Andy Lau, Jet Li and Kaneshiro.