Actress Brigitte Lin, who retired in 1994 after numerous memorable roles, is set to make a comeback in a new biopic about martial arts master Yip Man. Lin has reportedly signed on for a major role in the film which is currently titled The Great Master and is being directed by Wong Kar-wai.

Born in Taiwan in 1954, Lin became a popular and frequent face in Hong Kong cinema, starring in more than 100 movies in over 21 years. In 1994, she married businessman Michael Ying and announced her retirement soon after.

Last year, Lin made a rare public appearance in New York, promoting a re-edited version of Ashes of Time. She told reporters that many of her friends, including Wong Kar-wai, had been trying to persuade her to return but she was waiting for a good role.

Although she is probably best known to audiences for her transgender roles in martial-arts classics such as Swordsman 2 and Ashes Of Time, Lin is likely to play a female kung-fu master this time around, although her exact role is yet to be confirmed.

Fans of Lin will also be pleased to hear that the Yip Man project may not be the only movie on her agenda. Rumours are already circulating that director Tsui Hark has invited Lin to star in his action thriller Di Renjie and may also be planning a biopic about Lin herself.