Following the hit TV series "Sword and Fairy 3" adapted from a game, the popularity of Hu Ge, the male lead, and the two female leads, Yang Mi and Tang Yan, also rose. As a result, they received more film offers. The domestically produced 2D fantasy online game "Dreaming of Zhuxian," created by Perfect World over a span of two years, also invited the original cast of "Sword and Fairy 3" to star in its namesake blockbuster movie during its official launch. At the grand ceremony for the public test of the "Dreaming of Zhuxian" game and the premiere of the "Dreaming of Zhuxian" movie, the entire original cast of "Sword and Fairy 3", including Hu Ge, Yuan Hong, Tang Yan, and even director Li Guoli, was present. The only one missing was Yang Mi, who played "Xue Jian." In the end, it was Liu Shishi, who played the third female role in "Sword and Fairy 3," who became the female lead opposite Hu Ge in the "Dreaming of Zhuxian" TV series.
Why did Liu Shishi replace Yang Mi as the female lead in "Dreaming of Zhuxian"? There were various speculations from outsiders. Some said it was due to Yang Mi's schedule conflicts, others claimed her acting skills were not up to par, and still others suggested that Perfect World favored Tang Yan more... In fact, Liu Shishi replacing Yang Mi should have been foreseen and shouldn't have caused so much controversy! Many people may not know that for Transcendent Films, which produced the "Sword and Fairy" series, neither Yang Mi nor Tang Yan are their own contracted actors - Yang Mi's management contract is with Rong Xinda, while Tang Yan is signed with Orange Sky Entertainment. In contrast, Liu Shishi, who played the third female role, is a fully contracted actor with Transcendent Films.
In recent years, Liu Shishi has successively starred in Transcendent Films' productions such as "The Young Yang Family Generals" and "Sword and Fairy 3," and joined Hu Ge's version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" where she played Mu Nianci. Although she wasn't the lead in these projects, her fame has steadily grown. Clearly, Transcendent Films intends to gradually cultivate Liu Shishi from a supporting role to a leading role, ultimately becoming their "exclusive" top-tier actress. This can be seen from the fact that at the press conference for the TV version of "Dreaming of Zhuxian," director Li Guoli walked the red carpet hand-in-hand with Liu Shishi—after all, family ties always come first! And Transcendent Films' cultivation of Liu Shishi will ultimately be tested in their films. For Liu Shishi, who received praise for playing dual roles as Lan and Hong Longkui in "Sword and Fairy 3," the time is clearly ripe now.
Therefore, Liu Shishi's replacement of Yang Mi as the female lead in "Dreaming of Zhuxian" is absolutely not a surprise! In this production, Liu Shishi once again plays dual roles, portraying the assassin Mo Li from the "Demon King Sect" and the disciple of the "Fragrant Valley," Liu Xiaoxiao, showcasing her acting skills! But this is just the beginning. According to reliable sources, Transcendent Films is currently preparing to shoot "Sword and Fairy 4," and Liu Shishi has been confirmed to play the female lead, Liu Mengli, in "Sword and Fairy 4." It is evident that "Dreaming of Zhuxian" marks Liu Shishi's first step into the role of a leading actress, and with Transcendent Films' strong support behind her, her goal of becoming a top-tier leading star is not far off!