Mo Xiang Tong Xiu fans, are you in for a treat with this latest bit of news! Aside from the Heaven Official’s Blessing (Tian Guan Ci Fu) 天官赐福 donghua (animation) that’s been airing recently, it was just announced today that the drama adaptation for the BL novel is a definite GO. This bit of news is a long time coming for fans of the book who’ve been constantly teased by rumours that the novel will be made into a live action one day. Well, the moment you’ve been waiting for is finally here because today, it’s official!
Now as for the ever important question of who nabbed the roles of Xie Lian and Huacheng, your guess at the moment, is just as good as mine. Today’s announcement doesn’t actually say much casting wise except that they’re open for casting. I imagine though that the producers will be taking their own sweet time before nailing their selection if they ever have the intention of outperforming The Untamed which is also based on another Mo Xiang Tong Xiu novel.
In any case, what we do know, is that the drama has managed to rope in The Untamed director Chan Ka Lam to handle the behind the scenes action as well as the art director from Ruyi’s Love in the Palace and the visual effects director from Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms. Sounds like a good plan right?
Filming for Heaven Official’s Blessing is set to begin in the second quarter of next year and with much luck, is expected to be completed within six months. I know holding on for a little bit longer isn’t really ideal, but if it’s any consolation, we now have an official confirmation that it’s actually going to be made into a drama hey?
Priests’ “Silent Reading” Will Also Make It to the Small Screens
Meanwhile, another project also given the green light to kick off filming next year is Light the Darkness 默读. Brought to you by the same author who wrote the rumoured soon to air drama Legend of Fei as well as the popular BL novel successfully turned into drama Guardian, author Priest is already riding a high this year with two of her well known works A Tale of the Wanderers 天涯客 and Sha Po Lang 杀破狼 already in production.
And so, to have Light the Darkness based on her novel Silent Reading (lit) also lined up for a drama adaption is just icing on her already exceptional year. Filming for the drama is expected to begin at the end of February next year.
Trinity
HOB is one of my favorite novels! So excited for this news! Usually I will fantasy cast but I have no idea who would work well for XL or HC. People have been mentioning various actors but most of who they have been suggesting might fit the look but I don’t think they can really act (I could be proven wrong). I would prefer actors who could act then ones that fit the specific look. Especially for XL whose character is so nuanced and really needs to be in a talented actors hands to pull his character off well.
I’ve not read Silent Reading but a lot of my friends say it is their favorite Priest novel. Its been on my to read list for awhile.
anon
I could totally see Song Jiyang as XL, both in terms of appearance and acting chops, because he was excellent as Xiao Xingchen in The Untamed, but… he’s already been in The Untamed, and it seems likely he wouldn’t want to be typecast into BL dramas 🙁
Trinity
I’ve only seen Song Jiyang in Untamed and he had such a small role it’s really hard to say if he can act or not. I know his name has been thrown around a lot (maybe because of his looks, but no clue why his name is top of everyones lists) but I’m not sure if he does have leading man qualities, and for a drama this huge, and for a character as deeply nuanced as XL. He could, but based on only the few minutes I’ve seen him act, it’s really hard to say. But if he does get cast (which is highly unlikely) I hope it’s not just because he fits a look but because he actually can bring the character to life.
Sonate
Eh, I find Song Jiyang’s looks a little more angular than how I’d imagine XL. But the anguish when XXC finds out about XY and SL is similar to XL goes through in Book 4 and he does it decently, and of course XXC has a gentleness similar to the present XL’s. Of course we don’t know until we know. But they could a far worse job of casting than casting Song Jiyang: surprisingly many actors seem to have at most two expressions, so if he can only do “gentle” and “anguished”, at least those are relevant, and he seems to do a decent job of it.
It’s also worth noting that drama!XL may not be the same as novel!XL, and those changes may or may not be good/reasonable changes. Untamed!WWX is not the same as MDZS!WWX, and that’s fine. Ultimately directorship and screenwriting will probably matter more than casting.
Wujione
Ya ampunnn aku nungguin pokonya huhuhuhu
Yamapisukii
I agree! I need actors who can actually act and not just look good on screen. I’m kind of nervous for HOB. Please don’t ruin it producers! Lol
Ash
I totally agree. A good actor can bring a character to life, regardless of looks. Many of the idol actors (idol actors automatically come to mind for this genre of drama ? ) have really mediocre acting chops at best. And if they don’t have a excellent & patient director to hand-hold them, then the story could be ruined.
Susan
I’m soooo excited for the live adaptation of TGCF!!! It’s my fave BL novel ever!!!!!
YMI
Good luck to whoever gets casted with that production company.
Man Man
Bruh,when we getting GL stories lmfao
HL
Well, do you think GL dramas will sell as well as BL? That is the main consideration for investors. Even GL novels do not sell as well as BL novels… All boils down to $$$$
Man Man
Well, it’s not gay men watching BL. BL in itself is a genre targeted toward girls/women. When an actual queer person such as myself want true representation, I do not expect that from BL because it is mostly women fantasy of gay men.
HL
I really wonder who will lead….That will be a big news for dramaland.
Sabrina
I am sure these two novels would have no problem getting male leads that can act + look good. The casting for the BL dramas this year have been stellar so far.