Netflix acquires Chinese New Year fantasy 'The Yin Yang Master'

Streaming platform Netflix has bought international rights outside of China to ''The Yin Yang Master'', the Mandarin language fantasy feature film.

The streamer is yet to set a date for the movie's premiere, which opens in mainland Chinese cinemas on Friday and will compete for Lunar New Year holiday audiences.

According to Deadline, Netflix acquired distribution rights from Huayi Brothers Media, the production banner that globally co-distributed blockbuster Chinese war drama ''The Eight Hundred'' last year.

The film should not be confused with another movie with a similar title ''The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity'' that ultimately draws on the same source material.

Starring Chen Kun of ''Mojin: The Lost Legend'' fame and ''Cloud Atlas'' star Zhou Xun, ''The Yin-Yang Master'' is a game-to-film adaptation of ''Onmyoji'' directed by Li Weiran.

Weiran is known for his work on ''Love Will Tear Us Apart'' and ''Welcome to Shamatown''.

''In 'The Yin Yang Master', the world is on the verge of a devastating war with the monsters who are coming back to retrieve the Scaling Stone. Yin Yang Master Qingming (Kun)'s life is in danger and he travels to different worlds to prepare for the upcoming assaults. On his journey, Qingming finds that the key to all the calamities is embracing his hybrid identity of both human and monster,'' reads the official synopsis of the film.

Kun's Qingming and Xun's character Bai Ni are paired opposite each other, with William Chan playing Ci Mu, a sophisticated character that transforms from good to evil.

Chen Kuo-fu and Chang Chia-lu, who previously collaborated on feature films like Huayi's ''Detective Dee'' franchise, are attached as producers.

Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi, known for his work on Wong Kar-wai's classic romance ''In the Mood for Love'', has scored the music.