Chinese dramas and films

Production on the highly anticipated drama "Ultimatum 10 Days" (十日终焉, 十日, Ten Day Ultimatum) kicked off on April 10 in Qingdao. Shooting is expected to last around four months.

Xiao Zhan ("Legend of Zang Hai", "Where Dreams Begin") takes the lead role. He plays a “perfect con man” – a character gifted with superhuman manipulation skills and razor-sharp intelligence.

The cast also includes Wei Da Xun ("The Guilty", "A Love Never Lost"), Hu Xian Xu ("All Rise", "Pegasus"), and Li Zhi Ting ("Dream Beyond", "The Empress of China").

Even before production began, the drama’s official social media account had already gathered over 380,000 followers. On Tencent Video, pre-orders topped 200,000 on the very first day. The series is produced by Linmon Pictures, Tencent Video, White Turtle Pictures, and Hot-Blooded Animal Alliance.

At the heart of the story is Qi Xia, played by Xiao Zhan. A trained psychologist and natural-born swindler, he wakes up in a mysterious place called “The Land of the End” (终焉之地) – a realm where a group of strangers are trapped in a deadly time loop that resets every ten days and wipes their memories clean. Each new cycle forces them to survive brutal trials based on the Chinese zodiac, while some begin to awaken supernatural abilities known as "Echoes".

Guided by the brilliant strategist Qi Xia, the protagonists use their unique talents to fight enemies and find a way back home.

On his Weibo, Xiao Zhan wrote from his character’s perspective: “My name is Qi Xia, and I am a liar. You should only believe half of what I say.”

The series is based on a web novel of the same name, which holds a 9.9 rating on Douban and has won numerous literary awards. Unlike many modern projects, the novel deliberately avoids romance, focusing instead on pure intellectual combat – and this aspect is expected to be preserved in the adaptation.

The director is Derek Hui, known for "I Am Nobody" and "Cross Fire". The budget has not been officially disclosed, but estimates range from 200 to 300 million yuan ($30–40 million USD), with 40% allocated to special effects – handled by the same team that worked on ‘The Wandering Earth’.

The drama is planned as three seasons of 24 episodes each, totaling 72 episodes. This approach will allow the story’s complex world to be fully realized. The first season will consist of 24 episodes. The premiere is expected in 2027 on Tencent Video.

‘"he Infinite 10 Days" is already being hailed as the year’s most expensive and ambitious Chinese drama – one that could reshape perceptions of the industry. Western critics have already drawn parallels between the story and the hit Korean series "Squid Game".

Sources 1, 2