Detective Dee is succeeding the Ip Man line to become the next big thing in Greater China. After a series of successful television and film adaptations on the elderly Tang Dynasty detective in the last seven years, the television and filmmakers are now taking a trip back in time to write about a much younger and boyish Di Renjie. Unrelated to Tsui Hark’s (徐克) upcoming Hong Kong film, Detective Dee the Prequel <狄仁傑前傳>, which stars Taiwanese actor Mark Chao (趙又廷) as a young Di Renjie, the mainland Chinese television drama, Young Sherlock <少年神探狄仁杰>, will star Hong Kong actor, Bosco Wong (黃宗澤), as 26-year-old Renjie. Bosco will get first billing in the detective drama, as formally announced by the Chinese press in December 2012. Also headlining the show will be Ruby Lin (林心如) as the intelligent Wu Zetian, Yuan Hong (袁弘) as Emperor Gaozong, and Ma Tianyu (马天宇) as Di Renjie’s competitive but kind sidekick, Wang Yuanfang. Synopsis Directed by Lin Feng (林峰) and co-produced Lin Feng Studios, Young Sherlock is a historical detective thriller drama that takes place during the early years of Emperor Gaozong’s reign over the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Twenty-year-old Renjie travels to the empire’s capital, Chang’an, to take the imperial Mingjing examinations. The examinations are supervised by the Empress Consort, Wu Zetian. During the examination, an assassin disguised as a student attempts to kill the Empress, but the attack is stopped by Renjie. The Empress orders Renjie to track the killer, who Renjie later realizes to be a woman. As one of mainland China’s most expensive productions of the year, Young Sherlock promises to bring audiences to their feet with the drama’s glamorous backdrop and action-packed cases. The 40-episode drama will be filled with mystery, suspense, and romance. The historical epic will also touch on intriguing political drama, including We Zetian’s rise to imperial power and the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Also starring in the drama is Stephy Qi (戚薇) as Renjie’s medical friend, Li Wanqing. Hunan TV host, Cindy Sun Xiaoxiao (孙骁骁), will make her acting debut in the drama as Renjie’s childhood friend, Tong Mengyao. There is currently no official announcement as to when Young Sherlock will premiere, but Hunan TV has already secured the exclusive premiere broadcast rights of the show. Hunan TV plans to debut the show on its Golden Eagle Broadcast Theater line up. Creds: QQ
