Bona Film Group announced Thursday its groundbreaking military action film about China's nuclear submarine fleet will premiere during the lucrative Spring Festival film season.

The cast and crew of "Operation Leviathan" pose at a press event in Beijing, Dec. 26, 2024. [Photo courtesy of MicroEnt]

"Operation Leviathan," directed by Dante Lam, marks the first cinematic portrayal of China's nuclear submarines and their naval personnel in combat. The film follows Lam's 2018 military blockbuster "Operation Red Sea," which grossed a staggering $576 million and became the highest-grossing Chinese film of the year.

At a Beijing press conference on Dec. 26, Yu Dong, chairman of Bona Film Group, referred to the film as a tribute to the country and the Chinese navy, emphasizing how the film raised the bar in terms of production complexity. "This is China's' — and the world's — first nuclear submarine film," Yu said. "It is a modern film with a new style, telling the story of China's modernized navy and modern warfare."

Yu's choice of the press date carried symbolic weight, coinciding with Chairman Mao Zedong's birthday and the anniversary of China's first nuclear submarine deployment in 1970. "We ventured into the deep sea with our national dream," Yu said.

The production demonstrates Bona Film Group's commitment to large-scale authenticity, following their previous projects that featured more than 100 tanks for "The Battle at Lake Changjin" and a full-scale Airbus A320 for "The Captain." For "Operation Leviathan," the studio constructed multiple submarine sets for the climactic battle scenes.

Actor Zhang Hanyu described his awe upon first entering the nuclear submarine set. "It was so real that I didn't dare touch anything. I thought to myself, I absolutely must perform well and not waste such a great set," Zhang said. "As an actor, I feel incredibly honored to be part of such a project."

The production team faced significant technical challenges at China Movie Metropolis in Qingdao, Shandong province, where they excavated a pit measuring 110 meters long and 18 meters deep. Yu revealed that the actors performed their own water scenes without stunt doubles in temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius, while the director filmed underwater sequences upside down.

"In my 30 years of filmmaking, this has been the most challenging project," said executive producer Candy Leung. The vast subject matter required more than a year of research and nearly every shot needed custom-built sets. She revealed the cast filmed for 10 days on an offshore platform owned by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) in the Bohai Sea — a set too immense to replicate. The crew worked in harsh environments, braving strong sea winds and sleeping on the floor. Securing permission to use the platform also required extensive negotiations with CNOOC leadership.

Production costs have consistently exceeded initial estimates, prompting Chairman Yu to seek additional financing. While the exact budget remains undisclosed, Yu indicated in April that the film's cost rivals major Hollywood productions, making it China's most expensive film project for 2024.

According to Bona Film Group's website, "Operation Leviathan" follows the Chinese Navy as they battle mercenaries occupying the offshore platform Deep Blue 3. As the elite Jiao Long commandos work to reclaim the facility, they uncover a broader conspiracy that tests the navy's capabilities in deep-sea operations.

The star-studded cast includes Huang Xuan, Yu Shi, Du Jiang, Zhang Hanyu and Li Chen. The actors underwent intensive month-long training with international specialists in combat, diving and weapons handling. Pop star Karry Wang portrays a submarine sonar operator, marking the first cinematic depiction of this crucial naval role.

An IMAX poster for "Operation Leviathan." [Photo courtesy of IMAX China]

Director Lam views "Operation Leviathan" as a worthy successor to "Operation Red Sea." "But the most important thing is that I believe every major power in the world should have its own submarine film. Therefore, China should have its own submarine film too. And now we have it. This is the most meaningful thing."

Bona Film Group, renowned for producing "The Battle at Lake Changjin," China's highest-grossing film of all time, has entered this year’s Spring Festival film race with its new film "Operation Leviathan". The film will compete against other highly anticipated blockbusters, including "Ne Zha 2," "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," "Creation of the Gods II: Demonic Confrontation," "Detective Chinatown 1900" and "Boonie Bears: Future Reborn."

However, "Operation Leviathan" stands out as the only movie under the Filmed for IMAX program to be released during the holiday, featuring exclusive aspect ratios that provide up to 26% more picture on giant screens.

"It breaks new ground in both filmmaking techniques and production scale," said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMAX China. "The IMAX camera now dives deep into the ocean with 'Operation Leviathan.' Working alongside a limitless creative team, we have upgraded production standards to bring audiences battle scenes unlike anything they have seen before."

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