Ken Watanabe joins John Cusack, Gong Li in 'Shanghai'

Washington, Feb 4 : Ken Watanabe has signed on to join John Cusack and Gong Li in period drama 'Shanghai'.

The Weinstein Co. pic is being directed by Mikael Hafstrom from a script penned by Hossein Amini.

The drama, set four months prior to Dec. 7, 1941, follows an American who returns to a corrupt, Japan-occupied Shanghai to discover his friend has been killed.

While trying to solve the murder, he falls in love and discovers a much larger secret that his own government is hiding.

Shooting for 'Shanghai' is set to begin in China next month, reports Variety.

Mike Medavoy and Barry Mendel are producing with Arnie Messer on as exec producer.

ANI