Painted Skin: The Resurrection has been set as the opening night film of this month's Shanghai International Film Festival (16-24 June).

The film, an action-fantasy-romance about a fox demon who takes human form, is set in the same world as the 2008 hit Painted Skin (2008) and features many of the original cast members in new roles.

Mongolia-born director Wu Ershan replaces Hong Kong's Gordon Chan as director of the new film. Producers and the festival are at some pains to play down notions that it is either a prequel or a sequel.

The festival said that stars Vicki Zhao, Chen Kun and Mini Yang will attend the opening ceremony in Shanghai together with the director.

Resurrection goes on commercial release in China and much of the region on 28 June in both 2-D and 3-D versions. The festival will play the 2-D version.