The very highly anticipated C-movie The Murderer starring Zhang Zi Yi and directed by award winning and commercially popular HK-director Peter Chan wrapped filming last month in February 2024. The movie is based on a true story in 1940’s Shanghai when an abused wife of a gambling addict killed and dismembered him and her tale became a feminist call for women to fight back against their abusers. The project has been in the works for over 10 years before landing Zhang Zi Yi who also picked this as her first project after her divorce in what some see as rather ironic, and no there was no abuse allegations haha just that Zhang Zi Yi seems to be on a woman empowerment path right now.

Two top C-drama actresses Zhao Li Ying and Yang Mi are both in this movie which has a sprawling cast and the two camps have been jostling and fighting opening and behind-the-scenes for who who be the second billed lead in the movie. It’s a big deal because if successful this could be the entree for either or both into the more rarified and prestigious Chinese film circles. The production is reportedly letting this fight continue because it’s generating publicity and because the inside scoop is that Zhang Zi Yi is going to give an incredible performance as the female lead so all the accolades if any will go to her and no one will care about the supporting leads when she’s in the limelight.