Silver, who has a 15-picture guaranteed deal with Warner Bros through his genre production company, Dark Castle, quickly decided to create a martial arts film as a vehicle for Rain.

FORBES: The Movie Biz

Lee, whose previous credits include the martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Jane Austen adaptation Sense and Sensibility and comic book blockbuster Hulk, saw his latest film win a total of four Oscars in February.

BBC: Ang Lee takes on first TV project

One 2011 Chinese martial-arts film with Western sensibilities is "Wu Xia, " from director Peter Chan, which Weinstein Co. signed for U.S. distribution at Cannes (so far there's just a Blu-ray with English subtitles available).

WSJ: Hollywood's New Kick: Why Everybody Is Kung Fu Fighting

"He created a new film art form, mixing humor with martial arts, " Witterstaetter said.

CNN: All hail Jackie Chan, King of Comedy Kung Fu!

"We're in more of a fitness-obsessed Hollywood, an extreme-fitness-obsessed Hollywood, " says Colin Geddes, a martial-arts-movie expert and programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival.

WSJ: Hollywood's New Kick: Why Everybody Is Kung Fu Fighting

Chan is credited with creating a new film art form, with his comedic take on martial arts, reminiscent of Buster Keaton's slapstick style.

CNN: All hail Jackie Chan, King of Comedy Kung Fu!