Fan Bingbing is the lead actress in the acclaimed TV drama "The Empress of China." (Photo : YouTube/Zhang Jane)
Principal photography is about to begin on "Empress," an upcoming series about the only empress in China's history, Wu Zetian. Latest reports claimed "Empress" will be shot in the central province of Sichuan, China.
The upcoming TV series is being produced by US companies Starlight Media, headed by Xu Yan and K. Jam Media, in collaboration with "Game of Thrones" producer Christopher Newman, according to the official China Daily, as cited by Latin America Herald Tribune. The drama consists of 13-episode with an intended release in 2018.
"Empress" will recount the story of Wu Zetian, who started as one of the imperial concubines and rose to become the ruler of China from 690 to 705. She was the only Empress regnant of China in more than four centuries.
Speaking before a group of local reporters, K. Jam Media's owner Kia Jam said the story of the "Empress" is an account of intrigue, history, and power that provides viewers a profound storytelling. Jam added, "We hope will have numerous seasons to follow."
The real-life story of Empress Wu, known for her intelligence and merciless methods she used to gain power, has already been the subject of many Chinese series, including 1984's "Empress Wu" and 1985's "The Empress of the Dynasty."
In 2014, Hunan Television aired "The Empress of China" in mainland China. The drama starred producer Fan Bingbing, 34, as the titular character. With a budget of more than 300 million Chinese yuan ($45 million), "The Empress of China" is believed to be the most expensive TV series in Chinese history.
However, the drama has not been well-received by many viewers, who expressed that the drama was not a factually accurate history. Many noted that Empress Wu had a few battles with her rival, Zhangsun Wuji, in the history.
However, in the drama, the former was depicted as an innocent woman. Regardless, the viewership ratings of "The Empress of China" stayed at an unsurpassed high, Jayne Stars reported.
Check out the series below:
