Variety is reporting that the Starz Network is working on a new television series entitled ‘Marco Polo’. The idea comes from Harvey Weinstein, and according to the producer the series “will be one of the most expensive shows ever done for pay TV.” By the sounds of it, the Weinstein Company, Starz, and Electus have all teamed up with some lofty ambitions to create a show that involves martial arts, strong characters, and will reportedly be filmed in China.

Talking to Variety, Weinstein revealed a few details regarding the Marco Polo plot that will chronicle the “explorer’s early years in the court of Kublai Khan. “It’s a great challenge to do and hopefully a legacy television show,” adding that “the fact that (Fusco) had traveled the Silk Road and was knowledgeable about Marco Polo was quite amazing.”

Aiming to release the new series in 2013, Silverman said they plan to “make a big epic series with visual trademarks that haven’t been seen in scripted television before.” Principal photography will kick off this coming summer, with mostly Asian actors. Weinstein, Fusco and Silverman are all slated to be executive producers on the Marco Polo project that is also being described as Marco Polo meets Indiana Jones, with a slew of action and entertainment.