When it was released in 2000, Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' became an instant critical darling and surprise box office smash, winning fistfuls of Oscars and opening the door for countless other Asian films to open internationally. It only took 13 years, but the sequel will begin shooting in early 2014. Titled 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Destiny,' the long-awaited film will feature the return of several original cast members, including Ziyi Zhang, who is in talks to reprise the role of Jen.

Fans of the first film will remember that Zhang's Jen met an ambiguous end at the conclusion, so it'll certainly be interesting to see how she's involved in the sequel. According to EW, the bulk of Zhang's scenes will be flashbacks, which leads us to believe that she'll play more of an indirect role than before. The bulk of the action will presumably belong to Michelle Yeoh, returning as Yu Shu Lien, and 'Ip Man' star Donnie Yen, who will play a character known as Silent Wolf.

Although Ang Lee has vacated the director's seat this time around, acclaimed fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping will be calling the shots, so at least we know the fights are going to look amazing. Writer John Fusco is currently penning the screenplay, which will be based on the fifth book in the 'Crane-Iron Pentalogy' (the first film was based on the fourth book).

Can a new film recapture what made the first one so special, especially in an age where fantastical martial arts movies are far more common? Well, bringing back some of the original cast (and adding the thoroughly badass Yen) is certainly a good start. We'll be keeping our eyes on this one.

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