An actor prepares: from China’s Rambo to Sci-fi blockbuster (3)

Rising Sci-fi Star

First finding success in action, a favorite genre in the Chinese film industry, Wu then set his sights on sci-fi, an entirely new realm that has, thus far, been dominated by western film powerhouses.

Based on a novelette by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth tells the story of saving humanity from natural disaster, from the perspective of Chinese people. Critics and audiences have praised the homegrown movie as “a sci-fi film that rocks the world,” with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as “China’s first full-scale interstellar spectacular.”

According to media reports, Wu was initially an investor and supporter of the movie, but due to a fund shortage, he decided to star in it himself, as well as investing almost $9 million in the project.

“People asked me if I had doubts about making a sci-fi movie. From my perspective, a failed attempt is better than nothing. Over 7,000 people have taken part in the production of The Wandering Earth, and they are the pioneers of China’s sci-fi industry,” Wu remarked.

Netflix has now purchased the rights to stream the film worldwide, fulfilling Wu’s dream of providing Chinese stories to an international audience.