"Double World" promises premium video on demand

Fantasy action movie “Double World,” adapted from an online MMORPG game of the same name, will be released through the premium video on demand (PVOD) mode on iQiyi starting today.

Directed by Hong Kong director Teddy Chan, the film follows the journey of three young people who take part in a martial arts competition. With an investment of 300 million yuan (US$42.9 million), the movie features impelling visuals and stunts in the fight and war scenes. 

MoreVFX, one of the leading visual effects companies in China, produced the movie’s visuals. MoreVFX was responsible for half of the shots in China’s first big-budget sci-fi spectacular “The Wandering Earth” in 2019.

Zhang Amu, president of Giant Pictures and a producer of the movie, said the film has an Internet foundation because it’s an adaptation of an online game.

It is not first time a new Chinese film has debuted on iQiyi in the PVOD mode. Earlier this year, comedy flick “Enter the Fat Dragon,” sports drama “Knockout” and art movie “Spring Tide” also had an online premiere.

Initiated by the film studios of Hollywood, PVOD is a new distribution and premiere mode bringing new movies to a wider audience. It has turned out to be a flexible platform to supplement traditional theatrical releases.

Song Jia, general manager of iQiyi’s Film Center, said they will continue this mode to present more movies, as new technologies will undoubtedly improve the quality of the cinematic experience.

The movie “Double World” costs 12 yuan for iQiyi subscribing members.