Director of Beijing 2008 Opening and Closing Ceremonies to arrange Pyeongchang 2018 handover show

Zhang Yimou, the director of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, has confirmed he will be overseeing the Pyeongchang 2018 Handover Ceremony.

The Ceremony will see China receive the Olympic flag at the handover performance of a Winter Games for the first time, with Beijing set to host the 2022 edition.

Chinese film director Zhang, 66, revealed that he is still developing his idea for the eight-minute cultural show.

He directed the same portion of the Athens 2004 Closing Ceremony.

Zhang also made a promotional film to boost Beijing's bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Zhang, whose best-known films are Hero and House of Flying Daggers, is currently making his first-English language-production, The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon.

Zhang Yimou directed the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

In 2008, Beijing announced itself to the world with a staggering $100 million (£82.6 million/€95 million) Opening Ceremony at the iconic Bird's Nest Stadium, watched by an estimated one billion people worldwide.

The Games closed with the passing of the Olympic flag to the then Mayor of London Boris Johnson ahead of the 2012 Games in the British capital city.

Last month, it was confirmed that Yang Jung-ung - a director best known for leading South Korean productions of William Shakespeare plays - will produce the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at Pyeongchang 2018.

Yang will serve as executive producer for both the Ceremonies, scheduled to take place on February 9 and 25 next year.

Another director, Koh Sun-woong, will adopt a similar role for the Paralympic Games.

Musical director Park Kolleen and fashion designer Jung Ku-ho had previously held the positions before resigning from the post.