Local boy Albert Pyun, a filmmaker for 28 years, is shooting "Tales of an Ancient Empire," somewhat of a follow-up to the movie that launched his directorial career in 1982, "The Sword and the Sorcerer."

The new project, which he hopes to launch in May at the Cannes Film Festival, combines sorcery with martial arts — and throws in cyborgs, a staple of his earlier B-budget films or direct-to-DVD sci-fi features with post-apocalyptic implications.

The cast includes Melissa Ordway as Tanis, a princess thwarting the evils of a demonic sorceress. She's "going to be a star," says Pyun. Also: Kevin "Hercules" Sorbo, Janelle Taylor, Inbar Lavi, Christopher "Highlander" Lambert, Whitney Able, Jennifer Seibel Newsom, Ralf Moeller and Olivier Gruner, some who starred in Pyun's 1992 film, "Nemesis."

If the Newsom names rings a bell, she's married to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Online sites say Pyun also plans to do "The Destroyer of Souls," an adventure in the "Conan the Barbarian" ilk, with a cast that includes Steven Seagal, Tom Selleck, Charles Durning and Ralph Macchio. ...

STAGE SHORTS: Islander Isaac Calpito is an ensemble member of the Broadway-bound revival of "West Side Story," set for a March 19 debut at the Palace Theatre. The show, which had an out-of-town run at Washington, D.C.'s National Theatre last month, is produced by local boy Kevin McCollum and co-producers James L. Nederlander and Jeffrey Seller; original librettist Arthur Laurents is directing.

The remount, starring Matt Cavenaugh and Josefina Scaglione as Tony and Maria, respectively, will be notable for the inclusion of Spanish lyrics to such tunes as "I Feel Pretty" (now dubbed "Siento Hermosa") and a bilingual "Tonight," plus altered dialogue, with Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony-winning composer-star of the McCollum-produced "In the Heights," providing the Spanish. ...

Chinese-Portuguese actor Ron Serrao will portray Charlie Chan in Hal Glatzer's production of "The House Without A Key," to be staged March 5, 6 and 7 at the East Hawaii Cultural Center, at 141 Kalakaua St. in downtown Hilo, and March 8 at the Waiokoloa Beach Marriott Hotel, coinciding with the opening of "Left Coast Crime," an international convention of mystery writers and fans. Call Glatzer at 808-895-4816. ...

Keo Woolford succeeded Jason Scott Lee as the titular character in London's "The King and I," and we failed to acknowledge him in this space last Sunday. He's now in Boston with his show, "I Land," earlier staged at Leeward Community College. ...

PERSONALITIES: Kai Kalama, the "American Idol" contestant from San Clemente, Calif., with the very local name, is hapa with remote Island ties. His dad is Ron Kalama, currently of Las Vegas, and he has pedigree of sorts: Kai is the great-nephew of crooner Alfred Apaka, via his grandmother Aida Mae Kalama, the sister of Apaka. "The talent is not by chance, it runs in the family," says Kayla Crismon, his first cousin. Now you know. ...

Vinton Cerf, Google's vice president and chief Internet evangelist (co-founder of the Internet back in 1973), dined at Chef Mavro while here to keynote the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference. He took time to rave about the food and wine pairings and casually mentioned to chef George Mavrothalassitis that he's working on building networks between the planets so they'll be ready for robotic use. ...

Chef Kyle Yonashiro from Waikiki Beach Walk and the Ruth's Chris Steak House Hawai'i team copped the People's Choice Award at the Mighty Mo's Greatest Chef Cook-Off, attracting the longest booth lines with a seared 'ahi appetizer prepared prime-rib style with au jus and wasabi-infused horseradish, and a grilled filet entree with lobster and potato hash. The team included chef Leighton Miyagawa and general manager Don Asam from Restaurant Row; Waikiki GM Jay Kaneshiro; VP of operations Jeff Blair; and Emiliano Tiqui, a student from Kapi'olani Community College's culinary program. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.