Zhu Yilong, Leo Wu Lei, and Ni Ni are returning to the big screen in the much-anticipated Chinese war film Dongji Rescue, formerly Dongji Island, set to premiere on August 8, 2025. Fans were stunned to see the trio looking nearly unrecognizable—trading in their usual polished looks for raw, primitive styles. But it was 25-year-old Wu Lei, who literally grew up in the public eye, that probably had the most jaw-dropping transformation.
During his wardrobe fitting that started with him in a vest to just shorts and finally a shirtless Wu Lei dressed in nothing but a tiny loincloth, he laughed awkwardly, admitting he felt “very embarrassed” and wasn’t prepared for it, to which director Guan Hu replied, “get used to it.” And the young actor certainly did. But aside from his lean physique and deep tan, Wu Lei’s transformation ran deeper. The actor also spent months undergoing intense training with co-star Zhu Yilong, both of whom had the most water scenes, so that he could make his abdominal muscles contract—just like professional divers do.
Dongji Rescue is inspired by the real-life Lisbon Maru sinking in 1942. Zhu Yilong and Wu Lei play fishermen who, while diving for treasure in seemingly calm waters, are suddenly met with the ominous shadow of a massive submarine.
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