Acclaimed director Zhang Yimou is officially on board to direct the film project "The Three-Body Problem." The announcement was made on June 16 during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), where the project's producer also promised full support and no upper limit on investment on June 18.

A photo of Chinese director Zhang Yimou. [Photo/Xinhua]

Wang Changtian, chairman of Enlight Media, previously mentioned at the opening session of the SIFForum section of the film festival on June 16 that they are working with Zhang Yimou to develop a film adaptation of "The Three-Body Problem," a sci-fi magnum opus by Liu Cixin that won a Hugo Award in 2015. The revelatory news of a future blockbuster instantly stunned both forum attendees and fans alike, causing a great buzz online.

"I've worked on so many intellectual properties (IPs) over the years, but none can compare to the IP of 'The Three-Body Problem,'" Wang said, admitting his feeling the pressure of adapting such a beloved work.

Wang revealed they are in the early stages of the film's development, working on the script and recruiting global talent. He also added, "apart from respecting the original work and the director, everything else is open, including the investment amount, which has no upper limit."

As for whether it will be developed into a series or a standalone film, Wang stated that they intend to only make one movie first, with potential future plans being based on what kind of reception the film receives.

But Zhao Jilong, CEO of The Three-Body Universe, the rights holder of the franchise and co-producer of the film, hinted at more in a keynote speech during the forum. He mentioned that they have a 20-year development plan for live-action films, animations, TV series and more. He added that, given the global impact of Liu Cixin's trilogy, they will continue to expand The Three Body-Universe through different angles and formats. Liu Cixin's sci-fi classic has sold over 30 million copies worldwide in 35 languages.

The multimedia franchise has over 300 million fans and has generated an actual end-user market value that exceeds 2 billion yuan through collaborations with hundreds of brands, according to their own statistics.

Previous attempts to adapt it for the big screen faltered. Now, the baton has been handed to Zhang Yimou.

Back in 2015, Liu Cixin expressed his hope for Zhang's involvement. After years of communication and pursuit, Wang's company finally got Zhang on board.

"Under the helm of director Zhang Yimou, we have much more confidence than before," Wang Changtian said.

Wang Changtian, chairman of Enlight Media, speaks at a forum alongside other filmmakers, experts and entrepreneurs during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival in Shanghai, June 18, 2024. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

Zhang is known for a great number of blockbusters and award-winning films, as well as for his contributions to the 2008 and 2022 Beijing Olympics' opening ceremonies. The prolific filmmaker, now in his 70s, is still willing to try his hand at more genres and stories.

His acceptance speech for Director with Outstanding Contribution award at the 2024 Weibo Movie Awards Ceremony resonated with fans: "I will go all out, continue to work hard and hope to live up to everyone's expectations."

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