After nine years of hard work, Wu Ershan’s mythical epic film “Fengshen Trilogy” has finally hit theaters with its opening work “Fengshen Trilogy.” The film, which reinterprets the popular story of “Fengshen,” was celebrated at a national tour event in Shenyang on August 11. Director Wu Ershan and several cast members, including Fei Xiang, Yu Shi, Zisha, Hou Wenyuan, and Li Yunrui, attended the event to share behind-the-scenes stories and give the audience a glimpse into the making of the film.
The creation of the “Fengshen Trilogy” has been a long and difficult process, spanning nine years of preparation and creation. Since 2014, director Wu Ershan and his screenwriting team have been writing and revising scripts, going through more than ten drafts in the past five years. The choice to tell the story of “Fengshen” was driven by its cultural and epic elements, as well as the lack of mythical epic films in Chinese cinema for many years.
Wu Ershan shared that the key theme of the film is family affection and self-growth, highlighted through the confrontation between Longdedian father and son. The crew paid special attention to this scene, inviting four powerful actors to play the uncles and ensuring that everyone had a deep understanding of their relationships. The result was a powerful and emotional scene that the director believes will become a classic.
One of the reasons for the success of the film’s first installment, “Fengshen Part I,” is the starring role of Fei Xiang as Shang Wang Yinshou. Fei Xiang underwent intense physical training, martial arts, horseback riding, and fitness shaping for a year and a half, describing it as the “most self-disciplined” period in his 62 years of life. Although he initially struggled with his lazy nature, Fei Xiang was determined to play the role to the extreme, as he believed in the importance of passing down Chinese mythology to future generations.
The performances of young actors such as Yu Shi, Zisha, Hou Wenyuan, and Li Yunrui were also praised by the audience at the event. The crew of “Fengshen” meticulously selected the young actors, auditioning over 15,000 people worldwide and personally interviewing them. More than 20 actors were chosen to undergo a six-month training camp based on the “Six Arts of a Gentleman,” which focused on physical and muscle development. Director Wu Ershan commended their dedication and hard work, as all the difficult performances in the movie were done by the actors themselves.
The release of “Fengshen Trilogy” has been met with anticipation and excitement, as Chinese audiences are eager to see their cultural heritage reimagined with modern film language and ideology. Wu Ershan’s dedication and the remarkable performances of the cast have created a film that offers a fresh look at the popular story of “Fengshen” and introduces a new genre to Chinese cinema – the mythical epic.