SHIH, QUEEN OF THE SEA - Woman Pirate (2025)

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In pre-production with collaboration is Director Tsui Hark and screen writer Anthony McCarten (writer for Bohemian Rhapsody and The Theory of Everything) the new film about China's greatest female pirate Shih Yang (aka Cheng I Sao) who dominated the South China Sea during the Qing Dynasty.

Born into poverty, she worked on a "flower boat" brothel where she met the notorious pirate leader Cheng Yi, joining him at sea. Upon his death in 1807, she assumed full command of the fearsome Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and an estimated 80,000 pirates. By comparison, Blackbeard commanded four ships and 300 pirates within the same century. Shih instigated sweeping reforms to the rules of piracy, ordering execution for rape or marital infidelity and insisting on equality between the sexes. Much of what is known in the West about her is due to the writings of an English diarist, Richard Glasspoole, who was captured by her and later formed a strong bond with her.

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Get the book from Amazon to read the full real story of Shih Yang (in English): The Flower Boat Girl

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Currently assigned for directing is Anthony McCarten.

Production companies:
Film Workshop
Dakota Group
Facing East Entertainment
Fire Productions

Producers:
Hark Tsui
Nansun Shi
Markus Barmettler
Stanley F. Buchthal
Philip Lee

Visual Effects:
Mumbai Double Negative

The film will be a coproduction between Hong Kong and the United States