From Left: Tony Leung, Fan Jianhui, Gillian Chung and Lin Chi-ling dress up on Monday at a press conference for Who is Undercover. Photo: Courtesy of Hengye Film

It's not unusually to see so many domestic movies line up to join China's New Year holiday season, as it is probably the most important period for Chinese movies. However, to date no matter if it has been award winning director John Woo's The Crossing or famed Chinese director Jiang Wen's Gone with the Bullets, not a single film has managed to win over audiences - a sign that this year will be a tangled box office war fought by various genres and styles.

According to a press conference on Monday in Beijing, Chinese director Fan Jianhui's new thriller spy movie Who is Undercover is set to hit the big screens on December 31.

Based on a real case in China's spy history, the movie takes place in Shanghai during the 1930s. Starring veteran actor Tony Leung and actress Gillian Chung, Undercover focuses on the search for a master spy known only as "King" and the two opposing forces who are fighting to capture or rescue him.

At the press conference Leung explained that he plays an undercover Communist Party member that failed in a mission, which leads to the arrest of his three partners.

"I need to do everything I can to save them," he added.

When talking about box office predictions, Fan said that he was confident that the efforts of the cast and production team will ensure the film will "be a surprise for all of us."

Global Times