Shanghai-based Fundamental Films and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via Prods. are moving forward on period spy thriller “China Black Chamber.”

The companies have hired the writing team of Stephen Rivele and Chris Wilkinson, whose credits include “Ali” and “Nixon,” to rewrite the script. The project is a true story-thriller about a US spy recruited by the Chinese to infiltrate Japanese intelligence in 1938.

“China Black Chamber” was announced in September as the first project in Fundamental Films’ plan to co-produce a slate of English-language themed movies, casting a combination of top Chinese and U.S. talent as part of its strategy of making commercial European and American films with budgets upwards of $20 million.

Gary Glushon is overseeing the project for Fundamental while Mark Ceryak, Tom Williams and Monte Young are overseeing for Gran Via.

Johnson (pictured above with his wife) has extensive producing credits including “Rain Man,” the “Narnia” franchise, “Donnie Brasco,” “Bugsy” and “Good Morning Vietnam.”

Rivele and Wilkenson are also working on the latest draft of the Freddy Mercury project set up with Graham King and on Bruce Lee story “Birth of the Dragon,” set up with Bill Block’s QED and Michael London’s Groundswell.

The writers are repped by Gersh.