"Under the Hawthorn Tree" ("Shan Zha Shu") actor Shawn Dou will play Qu Qiubai (1899-1935), one of the earliest leaders of the Communist Party of China, in a biopic to be directed by Huo Jianqi, Chinese media outlets reported.

Dou will begin to work on his second major film this Friday, October 29, 2010, Sohu.com reported. Filming will take place in Shanghai and Harbin.

He will act along with Dong Jie ("Happy Times"), who will play Qu's wife, Yang Zhihua.

The film is scheduled for a 2011 release.

Shawn Dou, 21, was still an undergraduate studying acting at the Beijing Film Academy when he was cast as the male lead in Zhang Yimou's 1970s-era love drama "Under the Hawthorn Tree". The film opened in China last month, followed by intense media attention on Shawn Dou and lead actress Zhou Dongyu, who is also a new face.