Keigo Higashino, the novelist of the thriller "The Devotion to Suspect X," came up with a screenplay adaptation of the novel and collaborated with director Alec Su and actress Ruby Lin to make a movie of the same title.
Taiwanese actors Alec Su and Ruby Lin have a strong following from the mainland since the 1990s due to their popular TV series "My Fair Princess" and "Romance in the Rain."
Alec Su has pursued directing since 2015 and became a critically acclaimed director with the film "The Left Ear."
Both Su and Lin have been good friends since their TV stint. Su said that this friendship made Lin an easy choice.
He said, "On the set, I'm quite demanding."
"Only good friends can tolerate my bad temper. Besides, Lin's veteran experience and personal flair make her pretty much match the character," he added.
The novel was also adapted in South Korea and in Japan. The Japanese feature was made by Hiroshi Nishitani.
The Korean feature, "Perfect Number" was directed by Bang Eun-jin and was released in 2012. The Chinese adaptation will be different from the Korean and Japanese versions, according to Su.
Higashino's novel won the Naoki Prize for Best Novel. It was nominated for an Edgar Award and a Barry Award.
The book was published by Macmillan Imprint and Minotaur Books. The novel was also chosen by the American Library Association as one of their Best Mystery Novels of the year.
The novel-based thriller revolves around a physicist and a mathematician, respectively played by Wang Kai and Zhang Luyi, who involve themselves in a murder investigation.
The Chinese producer of the film is Enlight Media and will also be releasing the movie in North America, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Singapore simultaneously with the Chinese release on March 31.