Variety is reporting that the first 3-D CGI feature film made in China is based on a science fiction fantasy adventure by famed European comic book artist Jean 'Moebius' Giraud.  A team of artists headed by Giraud began working on the project in Los Angeles some three years ago before the actual production work started in China in 2001.  The film, entitled Thru the Moebius Strip, is now in post-production and should be ready for release late this year.  Based on an original Moebius story rather than one of his graphic novels, the film tells the story of a young boy who travels to an alien world populated by giants in a quest to find his father and prove himself.  In addition to numerous science fiction works such as The Airtight Garage, Moebius created the classic Lieutenant Blueberry series of graphic novels and provided designs for numerous films including Alien, The Abyss, The Fifth Element, and Little Nemo.

Voice actors working on the English language version of Thru the Moebius Strip include Mark Hamill, Michael Dorn, Kellie Martin, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Jean Simmons.  Senator International will handle worldwide sales rights for the film.  More than 150 Chinese animators worked on this interstellar version of Jack and the Beanstalk at a studio in Shenzhen.  Moebius created more than 400 full color drawings that form the basis for the film, which has a budget of some $8 million.