2020 has seen a steady rise in the number of productions boasting dual male leads at the helm. And the latest to join that list? It’s Chen Linong and Li Xian’s newest collab entitled Soul Snatcher 赤狐书生 set to premiere by the end of the year on December 4. Previously entitled Chun Jiang Hua Yueye (春江花月夜) from the novel of the same name by Duo Duo, the film’s name change initially caused a small stir when it was first announced. According to producer Bill Kong, since the title of A Flowery Moonlit Night by the Spring River was quite vague, they decided to go with the more intuitive title of Red Fox Scholar (lit) so that people will be able to easily grasp the core of the story from the title alone.
The Story
The historical fantasy film basically revolves around the tale of an impoverished scholar and a fox demon in search of a magic pill. Chen Linong plays the guileless Wang Zijin, the scholar on the way to Beijing who inadvertently becomes fast friends with Li Xian’s fox demon Bai Shisan. Unbeknownst to him, the wily Bai Shisan actually has plans to use him to retrieve the magic pill that will turn him immortal. Well, the best laid plans of mice (or a fox in this case) and men naturally go awry, will he still be able to push through with his grand scheme?
Soul Snatcher also stars the gorgeous actress Hani Kezi as the lotus spirit, Pei Kuishan as the fox demon mentor, Jiang Chao as the frog spirit and David Wang Yaoqing as the ghost of examination room. *lol* Seeing that last bit about the film having a “ghost of the examination room” character, the historical fantasy is bound to have some comedic moments up its sleeves!
More scenes from the movie –
Source: 1
