The Chinese version of the TV drama Prison Break will start shooting this September, the producer Zonbo Media announced on Sunday.

"The new series has no connection with the Fox show, except for sharing the same name," the Yangtse Evening News quoted an official from the Zonbo Media Group, Mr. Lin Yi, as saying.

The group also told the newspaper that it had applied for registration for the trademark Prison Break in China.

Early reports in April said that the Zonbo Media had - for US$1.2 million - bought the rights to adapt the drama from Fox Broadcasting, who later denied the news.

Lin Yi explained that they contacted both the US headquarters and the Chinese branch of Fox for possible cooperation, but didn't reach any agreement.

"They demand a price higher than our budget allows," he said.

Lin Yi also revealed that a podcast version will shoot at the same time, with the 30-episode TV series. The actors have not yet been cast.
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(CRI.cn July 3, 2007)