After his first non-action role in the tear-jerker "Ocean Heaven", actor Jet Li returns to the martial-arts world with a US$12-million contract to star in Tsui Hark's "New Dragon Gate Inn", Information Times reports.

Polybona, the film's production company, is willing to pay the sky-high salary to encourage Li and Tsui's first collaborative project in 18 years, the report said.

Tsui's 1990s film series "Once Upon a Time in China" helped produce one of Li's best-known roles - Wong Fei-Hung. But rumors surfaced in 1992 that the two did not get along with each other while working on the third installment.

"New Dragon Gate Inn", which will be shot in 3-D, will be Tsui's attempt to remake the 1992 classic film "Dragon Inn" for which he was a producer.

The film follows Ming Dynasty General Chow Wai-On who fights the power-hungry eunuch Tsao Siu-Yan at a deserted inn called Dragon Gate.

Li will play Chow Wai-On. Zhou Xun has been cast as the inn's seductive owner Jade. The actor for Tsao Siu-Yan remains unknown.

Filming is scheduled to begin in September.