Epic effort

One of the fastest-growing entertainment media companies in China, Beijing Culture is credited with several hits, including the country's all-time top and second-highest grossing films, Wolf Warrior 2 and The Wandering Earth, respectively.

From 2016 to 2017, the trilogy project launched a campaign to short list 30 young people from more than 15,000 aspirants. Of the winners, 16 were selected to join the cast, with six playing major characters.

Du Yang, vice-president of Beijing Culture, says the cast consists of A-list stars, veteran actors and young people, but doesn't reveal the names.

The trilogy, which is now being shot in the coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province, is scheduled to release its three feature-length films consecutively every year from 2020 to 2022.

Last year, all the youngsters on the project had a six-month training in Chinese history, culture, ancient etiquette, horse riding and so on. And some who play spirits in avatars of animals were given extra study material on the habits of wild creatures.

The trilogy marks the acting debut of a woman who plays Su Daji, a vixen spirit embodying a beautiful woman who bewitches King Zhou, hastening the fall of the dictator, in the novel. Wuershan says he has asked her to research on foxes to prepare for her role.

Barrie M. Osborne, the trilogy's production consultant says as a result the woman is now good at simulating fox emotions and moves.

Best known as a producer of The Lord of the Rings franchise, Osborne's experience during the shooting of the Peter Jackson epic trilogy will help Fengshen's production process, during which the three films are being shot simultaneously. Movie sequels in China are usually shot after watching how the first installments do at the box office.