SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - CHINESE STAR LANDS NEW LECTER FILM ROLE

RAISE THE RED LANTERN star LI GONG has become the first name cast in the latest SILENCE OF THE LAMBS movie spin-off.

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING director PETER WEBBER will take charge of RED DRAGON prequel THE LECTER VARIATION and has reportedly handpicked the Chinese actress to star in the film.

SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS, who played cannibal HANNIBAL LECTER in Red Dragon, HANNIBAL and Silence of The Lambs, is in negotiations to narrate the film, according to movie website MOVIEHOLE.NET.

No decision has been made as to who will play the young Lecter and his sister MISCHA.

The film, to be produced by DINO DE LAURENTIIS (corr), is expected to start shooting in May (05).