WELLINGTON, May 20  -- The first Chinese-New Zealand joint feature film has begun pre-production in the New Zealand city of Auckland, the producers announced Tuesday.

The Wonder would be a 3D fantasy adventure, with a budget of 20 million U.S. dollars, directed by British filmmaker Peter Hewitt, whose previous films included "Garfield" and "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey."

Shooting in Auckland and Lijiang, a scenery resort in southwest China's Yunnan Province, would begin in September.

Beijing-based media investment and production company, Show and Share Entertainment, was producing with New Zealand producers Richard Fletcher and Allan Xia, and British producing partners Robert and Ashley Sidaway and Iain Brown.

"It's a techno-fantasy story about troubled young people causing a major natural disaster by hurting nature and then having to put it right in a race against time," Robert Sidaway said in a statement.

"It's been developed to entertain audiences in both the East and West, and is a truly creative collaboration with our Chinese partners," added Sidaway.

The various players were introduced by the film team at Auckland City Council's Tourism, Events and Economic Development ( ATEED).

"The Wonder 3D is a significant step towards creating deeper cultural and economic ties with China, and will hopefully be the catalyst for future co-productions between New Zealand and China," ATEED chief executive Brett O'Riley said in the statement.

Willow Shields and Karl Urban were in discussions to star, said the statement.