Film

Xianxia-themed web series and online literature have enjoyed tremendous popularity, yet the big screen seems to lack Xianxia-themed films. Why is that? Firstly, in terms of creative adaptation, the vast and intricate world of Xianxia presents significant challenges for filmmakers. This complexity often restricts the adaptation of Xianxia IPs to television series rather than feature films. Xianxia dramas typically span over 30 episodes, allowing ample time to depict the fantastical realms of Xianxia in detail. However, condensing the intricate world-building and character relationships of Xianxia into a 120-minute film presents a formidable challenge. Without sufficient exposition, audiences may struggle to grasp the backstory and nuances of the Xianxia world, leading to confusion and disengagement. Furthermore, the commercial viability of Xianxia films is another consideration. While Xianxia-themed web series and online literature have found success with niche audiences, the broader appeal of Xianxia films on the big screen remains uncertain. Unlike television dramas, which can cater to specific fanbases over multiple episodes, films require a broader appeal to attract a larger audience and recoup production costs. Given the niche nature of Xianxia content and its relatively limited mainstream appeal, studios may be hesitant to invest in Xianxia films for fear of…

The highly anticipated Chinese summer film season has kicked off, including the long-awaited release of a film that had been shelved for six years, "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms". From its inception, this film has garnered much attention and discussion. Director Wuershan, known for his distinctive style in supernatural fantasy films such as "Painted Skin: The Resurrection" and "Mojin: The Lost Legend", has established himself as a prominent figure in the Chinese film industry. The cast is also extensive, featuring over 30 actors including Kris Phillips, Huang Bo, Li Xuejian, Xia Yu, Chen Kun, Yuan Quan, and many more. Moreover, the film has collaborated closely with New Zealand-based creators from "The Lord of the Rings", aiming not only to capitalize on star power but also to create a grand ambition of building China's epic film comparable to "The Lord of the Rings". However, this new epic film that has generated both buzz and controversy since its early stages faced mixed reviews upon its release. Simultaneously, the movie's box office growth has been less than expected compared to the huge investment. As the first installment in the Fengshen series of films, does "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom…

"Joy of Life Season 2" has proven two things since its premiere: first, it can inherit many of the essence of the first season; second, it can elevate itself. The former ensures its initial high popularity, while the latter ensures its sustained popularity. The multiple reversals in crucial scenes, Fan Xian's shift from defense to offense, and the thought-provoking social commentary all contribute to the unique experience of this drama, which is both thrilling and profound.   Accumulating Momentum and Concentrated Reversals One particularly satisfying upgrade in "Joy of Life Season 2" is the arrangement of crucial scenes, which not only emphasizes the layers of setup before these scenes but also focuses on the multiple reversals within them, captivating the audience with each turn of events. Typically, film and television productions avoid lingering in a single scene for too long to prevent viewer fatigue. When forced to remain in a single scene, various flashy camera techniques or martial arts scenes are often employed to add variety. "Joy of Life Season 2" is one of the few productions that can keep the audience engaged in a single scene without the need for elaborate camera techniques or martial arts scenes. This is…

Last year was a fruitful year for domestic film and television in the international arena. "The Long Season" was released on Netflix; Sony Pictures announced the remake of "Hi, Mom," with Jia Ling serving as producer; multiple series such as "Three-Body" and "The Knockout" were popular overseas; while "Joy of Life Season 2" was still in production, Disney had already acquired its exclusive overseas distribution rights. Although this year is not yet halfway through, works like "Blossoms Shanghai" and "The Legend of Shen Li" have not only been a hit domestically but have also broken free from regional constraints, sparking discussions in multiple countries and regions. The transformation of broadcasting channels by streaming services has not only led to a new wave from content to industry domestically but has also provided more possibilities for the "going global" of domestic film and television content. A richer variety of genres, an increasing number of diverse platforms for viewing, more mature business models, and a series of new horizons based on overseas distribution, such as industry integration and IP overseas expansion. "YOLO" has already premiered in multiple countries overseas and will be showcased as the opening film at the 26th Far East Film…

Novels with farming themes are common, but dramas with farming as the main theme are rare, especially in the realm of fast-paced and emotionally-driven micro dramas. The fast-paced nature of micro dramas distances them from traditional theater and brings them closer to short videos. Therefore, whether in landscape or portrait mode, revenge, suspenseful twists, and intense tragic love stories dominate, allowing viewers to quickly satisfy their dopamine cravings. However, for creators, it is easy to fall into the vortex of homogenization. Recently, a fresh and uniquely presented micro drama called "Invincible Stepmother" on Youku has caught the attention of many micro drama enthusiasts. As drama fans have said, for the first time in a micro drama, the female protagonist travels back to ancient times not to pursue love or engage in political machinations, but to earnestly raise children and make money through business ventures in the countryside. "Invincible Stepmother" is adapted from the novel "Chuan Cheng Si Ge Tuo You Ping De E Du Hou Niang" by Fanqie novel. It is also a key project of Youku's micro drama development plan. The female protagonist, Chi Yue (played by Jin Meichen), was originally a martial arts star who accidentally transmigrated into…

Which ancient China period is the most fascinating? The Tang Dynasty may be the best choice. As the most powerful and advanced existence in the world at that time, the Tang Dynasty has strong national power, a booming economy, and splendid culture. There were prosperous scenes of different countries from all over the world coming to visit, but also the wonderful legends and stories of countless capable people. This undoubtedly provides a wealth of creative materials for contemporary film and television creation, among which the suspense works are quite representative. From "Amazing Detective Di Renjie" starring Liang Guanhua, "Detective Dee" series of films directed by Xu Ke, "Legend of the Demon Cat" directed by Chen Kaige, to "The Imperial Coroner" and "Luoyang" in the past two years. Nowadays, when a new drama "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" of the same type is popular, let's follow Peng Xiao Xian and the four elements: city, palace, market, and stagecoach to explore the story of the Tang Dynasty.   01 City At the beginning of the drama "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty", Chang'an county magistrate Wu Daqi was killed by a demon cat and died strangely. And the main character Su Wu Ming…

The martial arts film "The Wild Blade of Strangers" officially landed on iQIYI. From its theatrical release on March 2nd to its online debut on March 8th, "The Wild Blade of Strangers" only took 6 days. However, unlike previous films that quickly made their way online, the release of "The Wild Blade of Strangers" was a strategically planned proactive move. According to the creators, from the inception of "The Wild Blade of Strangers," they aimed for a release on the streaming media. After the film was completed, many audience representatives and industry peers were invited to watch it. While they praised the quality of the film, they also suggested the idea of trying to enter theaters. It has been a long time since such an exciting Wuxia action film has graced the big screen. Subsequently, with the introduction of the concept of "theatrical release," and after rapid preparations, "The Wild Blade of Strangers" finalized its strategy of releasing in theaters and then transitioning to online streaming on the streaming media. Since iQIYI launched the "Master of Action Season" on January 18th, the film and television industry has been closely watching iQIYI's next moves. In recent years, martial arts films have…

"New Gods: Yang Jian" is one of the best Chinese animated films to watch this year, based on solid animation production standards and a strong Chinese art style. "New Gods: Yang Jian" is an animated film produced by Light Chaser Animation, directed by Zhao Ji, and featuring the voices of Wang Kai, Li Lanling, and Ji Guanlin, and was released in mainland China on August 19, 2022. The film tells the story of Yang Jian, who has fallen on hard times due to the third truth-seeing eye hurt, and his nephew Chen Xiang, who is eager to save his mother, as they go on a thrilling fantasy adventure together. In its first three days of release, the film has grossed more than 100 million RMB and the cumulative box office has now exceeded 200 million RMB. Why did audiences have such high aspirations for "The New Gods: Yang Jian"? It stems from the solid market foundation laid by its production company, Light Chaser Animation, and previous works. In 2019, "White Snake: The Origin" made a box office of 468 million RMB, and in 2021, "New Gods: Nezha Reborn" and "White Snake 2: Green Snake" made 456 million RMB and 580…

The wuxia drama, which used to dominate the screen for many years and had a deep audience base, has entered a low tide due to repeated remakes and lack of innovation. However, to the surprise of the audience, the wuxia dramas in 2023 brought some long-lost brilliance. The release of a batch of works such as "The Ingenious One" which focuses on "martial arts mysteries", "Mysterious Lotus Casebook" which combines suspenseful detective stories, and the wuxia comedy "Legend of the Undercover Chef" once again proves that wuxia dramas still have the ability to stand out. In 2024, there are 12 upcoming wuxia dramas that have great potential in terms of cast and audience expectations. Let's speculate, which work will become the blockbuster wuxia drama of 2024? The most anticipated upcoming wuxia dramas in 2024 are definitely the sequels of popular IPs. With their previous performance being generally good, serialized dramas come with built-in popularity and are more likely to become blockbusters, achieving great success once again.   Joy of Life Season 2 With the popularity of the first season, there should be no doubt about the expectations for "Joy of Life" Season 2. Currently, the number of pre-orders of season…

This summer, the most anticipated film is undoubtedly "Creation of The Gods Ⅰ: Kingdom of Storms". Originally scheduled for release in the summer of 2020, this mythological blockbuster will finally meet audiences on July 20th. Although some industry insiders are cautiously optimistic about its box office performance, it cannot be denied that it has already raised audience expectations to their fullest. With the announcement of this large-scale investment movie's release date, another phenomenon is emerging: a resurgence of ancient costume films. Of course, "Creation of The Gods" is not alone in this trend. During the Shanghai International Film Festival, Beijing Baination released their film lineup which includes three costume films: Cao Dun's directed and Ma Boyong's scripted "Heroes of Dunhuang", Wu Youyin's self-written and directed "Sha Hai Zhi Men (沙海之门)," and “Su Wu”. Also during the same festival was when Bona Film Group Co announced twenty new films with historical themes including costume dramas such as “Fighting for Love”, “The Story of the Stone” & “The Legend”. If we include movies like last month’s poster-released "The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero" and other films that have been rumored since last year such as"Zheng He Xia Xi Yang:…

In the year 2021 that has just passed, a topic that is often brought up is just how many Wuxia and Xianxia cdramas will be aired next year. It is not difficult to understand such a question. According to statistics from public sources, including various projects to be broadcast, wrapped, started filming, and in preparation, there are at least 40+ Wuxia and Xianxia cdramas exposed so far, which can be considered the most crowded track in the film and television industry in 2022. On January 14, the new-style martial arts drama "Sword Snow Stride " ushered in the first season finale. on January 16, "Mirror: Twin Cities" will first kick off the prologue of this year's fantasy cdrama.   Xianxia Cdramas: Adaptation Determines the Winner The most obvious phenomenon of Xianxia cdramas is that although the quantity is large, the hits are not easy to come by. On the one hand, although Xianxia cdramas have a fixed audience, there is a quota for scheduling, and only the real top dramas have the chance to be syndicated on multiple platforms. On the other hand, historical drama is a big part of cdrama, long creation period and large cost investment are its…