The long-dormant male leads in ancient costume dramas are set to make a comeback in the coming two years. Nowadays, male-oriented dramas generally refer to adaptations of online novels representing the genres of ordinary mortals, immortals, and sons-in-law, or TV series based on major in the genres of martial arts, fantasy, and adventure.
These dramas typically feature a central male lead, with the plot revolving mainly around the male protagonist's growth, love life, strategies, and conflicts. Some of the notable big male leads include Mei Changsu in “Nirvana in Fire,” Fan Xian in “Joy of Life,” and Ning Que in “Ever Night.”
Such dramas typically boast high investments and grand productions, with production companies often selecting rising actors who can attract viewership and popularity to play the role of the male lead. After all, in the eyes of fans, the moments of the male lead and female lead are considered the highlights for actors, and a cast with a long character development arc and a star-studded lineup are essential.
Building on the foundation of male-oriented novels, in recent years, dramas featuring dual male leads, trios of male leads, and ensemble casts have become increasingly popular. Productions like “Young Blood,” “Douluo Continent,” “Mysterious Lotus Casebook” and the recently aired “Eternal Brotherhood” feature more than one male lead.
If a single big male lead is unable to handle the challenges alone, reliable allies can be introduced to support him, and in extreme cases, teamwork can be emphasized. In 2024, actors like Zhang Ruoyun, Xiao Zhan, Cheng Yi, Yang Yang, Luo Yunxi, Ren Jialun, and others are set to star in male-oriented costume dramas, setting the stage for the question of “who is the most powerful male lead.”
Most anticipated male-oriented dramas
Alternate worlds, defying fate, and revenge-themed male-oriented dramas carry common labels, and even the highly acclaimed “Nirvana in Fire” with a score of 9.4 on Douban couldn't escape this trend. However, there is always an advantage for the first mover, where top-notch production quality and exceptional acting remain a rarity even in the present day.
If “Nirvana in Fire” pioneered the genre of “male lead revenge dramas” blending political intrigue with martial arts, connecting the royal court and the martial world through a scholarly chivalrous perspective, “Joy of Life” took it a step further by incorporating elements of time travel and light-hearted humor, with the carefree and insightful Fan Xian as the protagonist. Alongside a decrease in the intensity of revenge and the male lead frequently unlocking cheat codes, this brought a fresh perspective to male-oriented dramas.
Entering the latter stages of production, “Joy of Life 2” boasts the strongest lineup among current historical dramas, retaining main characters from the first installment such as Zhang Ruoyun, Li Qin, Chen Dao Ming, Wu Gang, Guo Qilin, while introducing new roles played by Yu Feihong, Gui Yalei, Jin Chen, Wang Churan, and others.
According to the novel's progression, “Joy of Life 2” will focus on political intrigue, with Fan Xian facing challenges at Bao Yue Lou and the trap set by the Second Prince during the Spring Exam crisis. Zhang Ruoyun's portrayal of Fan Xian engaging in intellectual battles with veteran actors will continue.
On the other hand, the series will explore the daily life of Fan Xian and his wife Lin Wan'er post-marriage, showcasing a refreshing romantic storyline that resonated with many male viewers who typically have little patience for love plots. With the addition of mundane family scenes in “Joy of Life 2,” will the elevation of the male lead and the thrill of power struggles be diminished compared to the first installment? How will the integration of martial arts and political intrigue be cleverly executed? These questions are eagerly awaiting answers upon the release of the series.
Among the upcoming historical dramas by New Classics Media, there is a relatively smaller production titled “Guardians of the Dafeng.” It follows a path of suspense, time-travel, and light-hearted humor, produced by the same team behind “My Heroic Husband” and “New Life Begins,” directed by Deng Ke, starring Dylan Wang and Tian Xiwei. The story revolves around modern laborer Yang Ling (played by Dylan Wang), who accidentally enters the Dafeng Dynasty and becomes the night patrolman Xu Qian'an. Utilizing his modern knowledge and skills, he solves numerous mysterious cases, becoming an expert in solving complex cases in the Dafeng Dynasty.
As revealed in the trailer, the night patrolman's daily tasks include investigating cases, patrolling the streets, searching homes, supervising officials, and gathering intelligence. The setting incorporates elements of fantasy with supernatural beings and spells in the Dafeng world, infusing a touch of modernity.
The male lead's time-travel journey, his working-class mentality, and the humorous and absurd dialogues resonate with the audience, akin to the narration style of “My Heroic Husband.” While the blend of fantasy and suspense elements may have clashed in the past, recent successful cases like “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty” have shown otherwise. With all possibilities open, the success of this lighthearted investigative drama that seamlessly transitions between ancient and modern settings will depend on its ability to captivate the younger audience.
Resurgence of martial arts and adventure themes
The upcoming drama “Zang Hai Zhuan,” which started filming before the New Year and has not yet finished shooting, is directed by Zheng Xiaolong following his work on “Legend of Mi Yue.” It stars Xiao Zhan and Zhang Jingyi.
This drama is an original script inspired by a joke posted by Nan Pai San Shu on Weibo in 2017. It mainly tells the story of Wang Canghai, a fictional Ming Dynasty geographer and cartographer from “Time Raiders” series. In the novel, Wang Zanghai is depicted as a remarkable individual who designed and constructed Ming Palace, Qujing City, and other Ming Dynasty architectural wonders, and is rumored to have visited Macau. His expertise in Feng Shui is unparalleled. “With a single sentence of his, he could even make several cities in China disappear completely.”
The role of the male lead Wang Zanghai is played by Xiao Zhan, who rose to the pinnacle of stardom through ancient idol dramas. Last year, Xiao Zhan starred in three different types of dramas: the fantasy drama “The Longest Promise,” the Beijing-style drama “The Youth Memories,” and the urban drama “Sunshine by My Side.” Although each drama belongs to a different genre, they all revolve around elements of idolization, inspiration, and youth, with a predominantly young female audience.
For Xiao Zhan, “Zang Hai Zhuan” represents a significant expansion in terms of both role diversity and audience reach. Building upon the original character setting, the TV series introduces more intricate revenge and power struggle plots, portraying Zanghai bearing the grudge of his family's massacre, using his years of study in architectural skills and strategic acumen to outsmart the villains and finally clear his name. What will be the result of combining “Time Raiders” with court intrigue? The answers can be found in “Zang Hai Zhuan.”
Another actor who gained popularity from last year's hit martial arts drama “Mysterious Lotus Casebook,” Chen Yi, is now attracting more attention with his next drama “Hero Legends.” The novel of the same name by Sun Xiao has been praised as “After Jin Yong and Gu Long, with the passing of these two masters, the martial arts world now only has ‘Hero Legends' left.” The grand theme of “establishing the heart for heaven and earth, establishing life for the people, inheriting the learning of the sages, and opening up peace for all generations” has also captivated a large number of fans. In this drama, Chen Yi plays Lu Yun, a scholar who stands up against the injustices of society despite his weak appearance.
“Hero Legends” goes beyond being just an exciting and empowering story. It encompasses the martial arts world, power struggles, personal relationships, and brotherly loyalty. Characters ranging from commoners to emperors can all exhibit chivalrous behaviors.
The author, Sun Xiao, uses the main characters to convey the values of perseverance and righteousness. She states that amidst the somewhat dark and violent narrative of “Hero Legends,” the male lead Lu Yun shines brightly. “As a weak scholar, he dares to sacrifice himself for a cause; inherently kind-hearted, he never wavers in his commitment even on the brink of life and death; emotionally stable, he remains composed in any situation. As a powerless individual with nothing but his wits, willing to risk his life for a stranger he meets by chance, he truly embodies the essence of chivalry.”
However, Lu Yun is not the typical hero in the traditional sense. Compared to the deep and mysterious Yang Suguang and the bold and rebellious Qin Zhonghai in “Hero Legends,” Lu Yun is the most relatable to an ordinary person. In fact, the drama features four main characters, with Lu Yun portrayed by Chen Yi, Wu Dingyuan, Yang Suguang, and Qin Zhonghai played by Wang Qianyuan, Zheng Yecheng, and Xiao Shunyao, respectively.
In the cast list, the name of Liu Yunlong, who was previously rumored to be the director of the drama, stands out, but his role has not been disclosed yet. It is worth noting that no matter how strong the lineup of a drama is, there will always be concerns from fans of the original work. Fans of “Hero Legends” have four main concerns regarding the drama adaptation.
- Concerns about the martial arts essence. The original style of “Hero Legends” is rugged and may not suit an excessive use of ancient idol-style special effects, slow-motion shots, and freeze frames. Fans of the original work hope that the drama adaptation can recreate a martial arts world that is not focused on exquisite aesthetics but rather on authenticity.
- The hope for a balanced portrayal of the martial arts world and the court intrigue. Fans wish for a harmonious presentation of these two aspects, avoiding any sense of disconnection or detachment between them. Many martial arts dramas in the past have faltered when depicting court scenes, leading to a weakening of the previously established martial arts atmosphere.
- Each of the four main characters in the original work, Guan, Hai, Yun, and Yuan, has their own unique traits, with many bonds between them. The romantic subplot is relatively minor, so the drama does not need to force explicit romantic relationships to cater to the market.
- The original work puts significant effort into shaping the supporting characters, avoiding one-dimensional villains. Fans of the original work do not want to see one-dimensional or stereotypical characters in the drama adaptation.
Resurgence of Xianxia themes
“The Immortal Ascension” wrapped up in December last year, directed by Yang Yang, starring Yang Yang and Jin Chen. Previously, Yang Yang directed costume dramas such as “Ever Night” and “A Dream of Splendor,” balancing the masculine and feminine genres. Her dramas are both delicate and visually appealing, perhaps able to save Yang Yang from the crisis. There was a time when even the most popular young actors could only play a supporting role in ancient dramas. Now, the world of masculine fiction dramas also has its familiar faces. For example, the post-95 young actor Joseph Zeng.
The author of “Mysterious Lotus Casebook,” Teng Ping, has another martial arts work called “Enduring a Thousand Tribulations,” which has been adapted into the drama “Shui Long Yin,” starring Luo Yunxi, Xiao Shunyao, and Ao Ziyi, starting production in December last year. Luo Yunxi, after finding his signature role of being both good and evil in dramas like “Ashes of Love” and “Till the End of the Moon,” continues this path in “Shui Long Yin,” playing Tang Lici, who is ambiguous in morality and is involuntarily involved in the martial arts conspiracy.
Ren Jialun, starring in “Burning Flames,” adapted from the comic “Wu Geng Ji,” telling the story of the prince of the human race Wu Gong, who becomes a slave after his country is destroyed but does not give up his original intentions, seeking revenge for his parents and people, leading his fellow humans to resist the oppression of the new demon race. Unlike traditional martial arts dramas, comic adaptations have a different aesthetic, leaning towards a hot-blooded, high-energy second-dimensional flavor rather than the elegant and solemn atmosphere of martial arts. From the perspective of male characters' costumes and props, they are mostly exaggerated armor, chains, and weapons, highlighting a hardcore texture.
“Burning Flames” started filming early, in December 2022, and completed filming in May 2023, theoretically ready to meet the audience at any time. The intertwining of female perspective and romantic scenes was one of the reasons why masculine fiction dramas were cold-shouldered in previous years.
In the past two years, ancient male lead costume dramas such as “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty” and “Ripe Town” have gained both popularity and reputation, as the character settings and masculine context of these two dramas are consistent, with stories closely centered around cases. In simple terms, fans of male actors may not necessarily want to see them in romantic relationships. As long as masculine fiction dramas excel in their segmented content, they can also stand out from the competition.
