BEIJING, May 20 -- John Woo's historical epic "Red Cliff" is to be released in North American movie theaters later this year, marking the director's first U.S. release in six years.

Director John Woo (2nd L) poses with cast members (from L-R) Hu Jun, Lin Chi-ling, Tony Leung, Zhao Wei and Chang Chen during a photocall for the film "Red Cliff" at the 61st Cannes FIlm Festival May 19, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Magnet Releasing says it has bought the American rights and will release it this fall. The film will be released in Canada at the same time.

    Red Cliff, about an ancient Chinese battle of the same name, was Hong Kong native Woo's first Chinese-language film since the 1992 action thriller Hard-Boiled. The $80 million movie starring Cannes best actor winner Tony Leung and Japanese-Taiwanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro, was a massive hit in Asia, earning more than $100 million in Japan alone, according to Magnet Releasing.

    The two-part film will be released in North America as a single instalment for Western audiences but both Asian instalments will be issued on DVD and video-on-demand services.

    The US deal is Woo's first release in the US since Paycheck, the 2003 sci-fi thriller starring Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman. While Mission: Impossible II was Woo's big US hit in 2000, earning $215 million, his two Hollywood follow-ups were less successful, the 2002 war film Windtalkers raking in $41 million and Paycheck $54 million.