“Martial Universe” is China’s Next Big IP Release
IP, abbreviation for “intellectual property”, is a unique term in the Chinese film and television industry to indicate media productions that are adapted from original stories or concepts. Some of the most famous “IP” works include the historical fiction dramas Empresses in the Palace <后宫·甄嬛传> (adapted from Hougong: Zhen Huan Zhuan), Nirvana in Fire <琅琊榜> (adapted from Lang Ya Bang), and the xianxia drama Eternal Love <三生三世十里桃花> (adapted from To the Sky Kingdom), all which were adapted from original online novels.
IP films and television dramas are a marketable industry in the Chinese market. In 2017’s Mopian Hurun Most Valuable Creative Works IP Chart, which ranks the 100 best-selling and most recommended IP content, Lang Ya Bang, Zhen Huan Zhuan, and To the Sky Kingdom were ranked 5th, 6th, and 11th, respectively. Not only were the original stories a success, their respective TV adaptations have also broke ratings records.
There’s no denying that the formula for IP content is a business success.
The lastest IP drama to hit the country will be fantasy drama Martial Universe <武动乾坤>, the TV Adaptation of the online novel Wu Dong Qian Kun by Tiancan Tudou (天蚕土豆). The story was first published online in 2011, and ended in 2013. It was then followed by a physical release, a manhua adaptation, and a mobile game. Along with his number one online novel Dou Po Cang Qiong <斗破苍穹>, which sits strongly at number one on the Hurun chart, Tiancan Tudou is one of the highest-earning online novelists in China.
The TV adaptation of Martial Universe, directed by Zhang Li (张黎), stars Yang Yang (杨洋) as Lin Dong, a seemingly untalented young man who harbors new powers after obtaining a mysterious stone talisman. Crystal Zhang Tian’ai (张天爱) and Wang Likun (王丽坤) costar as Lin Dong’s two love interests, Ying Huanhuan and Ling Qingzhu respectively. Wu Chun (吳尊) stars as Lin Dong’s rival, Lin Langtian.
Martial Universe will be released in 2018.
“Martial Universe” Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN8OfkzG3Oo
Source: HK01.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
It has a promising cast, but a lot adaptions of the wuxia genre have come off as ‘cheesy’ and ‘unoriginal’. The trailer looks visually stunning, but I’m worried about the execution.