Cast member Shu Qi and director Feng Xiaogang (R) at the premiere of "If You Are the One" in Beijing on Decemer 16th, 2008. [Photo: sina.com.cn]

Chinese filmmaker Feng Xiaogang has laid aside his planned comedy "The nobles" and is planning a film about the deadly Tangshan earthquake in 1976.

The director, who is now on a cross-country tour to promote his latest project, the romance comedy "If You Are the One", confirmed the news at its Beijing premiere on Tuesday, The Beijing Times reported.

Feng Xiaogang said the film, which will be presented by Huayi Bros Pictures, is not motivated by the tragic 7.8-magnitude quake which jolted southwest China on May 12, 2008.

"I decided on the subject before the May 12th earthquake happened. I have received requests from the Tangshan municipality, and one the other hand, I've also found a suitable novel for adaptation," Feng said, "I hope to make it a deeply-felt film."

According to an early report by the 'Oriental Morning Post', Huayi Bros President, Wang Zhonglei, revealed during the Tokyo International Film Festival the film will be based on Canadian Chinese author Zhang Ling's novelette, "Aftershocks", which tells the story of the effect of the Tangshan earthquake on the life of a 7-year-old girl.

Filming will start in 2009 and the movie, which Wang Zhonglei calls "a stunning film about national spirit," is expected to be screened in 2010.

The earthquake occurred on July 28th, 1976. It flattened the city of Tangshan in northern Hebei province, killing at least 240,000 people and severely injuring a further 164,000. It is believed to be the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century.