The director, Nicholas Cheung, who once made Zhang BaiZhi a star, is now creating a new work for her return to the screen. The cooperation between Zhang BaiZhi and Tony Leung is also highly anticipated by outsiders. During the Shanghai Film Festival, Nicholas Cheung expressed that there were two scripts available for selection, one of which was "The Great Magician" adapted from a best-selling novel. Recently, it was reported by the media that the new work adapted from the best-selling novel "Autumn Begonia" by the famous writer Qin Shouou in the early years of the Republic of China was favored by the main creators. Zhang BaiZhi will play the sorrowful woman Luo Xiangqi, while Tony Leung will challenge the male protagonist Autumn Begonia. "Autumn Begonia" describes the tragic love between Qiuhaitang, a Peking Opera actress, and Luo Xiangqi, a female college student. In the original work, Luo Xiangqi was forced to marry a warlord, and Qiuhaitang was not only disfigured but also committed suicide by jumping off a building. This tragic plot has moved countless readers over the years.
There are reports that Tony Leung will play Qiuhaitang, but the director is very likely to change this character to an ordinary person. Zhang BaiZhi plays Luo Xiangqi, who is a student of Tianjin Normal University in the original work. Coincidentally, Director Nicholas Cheung is also from Tianjin, and the film "Autumn Begonia" gathers many Tianjin elements.