Ang Lee finds his Pi

Ang Lee‘s long-touted adaptation of Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi is set to begin production early next year.

According to Variety, Life of Pi will begin shooting in Taiwan and India next January.

As we reported back in April, Lee will shoot the family-oriented picture in 3-D. The screenplay comes from David Magee (Finding Neverland).

Lee, producer Gil Netter and studio Fox 2000 had hoped to begin production a couple months ago, but it was likely delayed due to their months-long search to find a young actor to play the eponymous hero.

After auditioning 3,000 young men for the role, 17-year-old newcomer Suraj Sharma was selected to star as Pi, a young boy who winds up lost at sea in a lifeboat with a tiger, a hyena, a zebra and an orangutan.

Head on over to USA Today to read some comments from Lee regarding the film’s history, and potential budget.

Life of Pi arrives in cinemas December 14, 2012.

Discuss: Life of Pi is one of my all-time favourite books; a delightful (and occasionally haunting) parable. Here’s hoping Lee can do it justice. What are your thoughts on this project’s prospects?