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Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia has acquired world rights outside China to "A Hope," the comedy starring Hong Kong's Stephen Chow, who also helms and penned the script.

Sony Pictures Classics will distribute the fantasy pic in North America, though a release date has yet to be set.

Chow, who previously delivered "Kung Fu Hustle" to Sony, stars as a poor Chinese laborer who is made to learn some of life's important lessons when his son gets a strange new pet. Like "Hustle," the movie is heavy on special effects.

Pic was produced through Chow's own shingle, the Star Overseas Ltd., in association with mainland China co-producer China Film Group.

Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia is the Hong Kong-based production and acquisition department of Sony Pictures Entertainment that was previously responsible for Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

"Hope" is Chow's fifth movie as helmer. In addition to "Hustle," previous efforts were "God of Cookery," "King of Comedy" and the Miramax-released "Shaolin Soccer."