Recently, mainland Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who was appointed as the Tourism Year Goodwill Ambassador by the Malacca State Government in Malaysia, has been reported to be collaborating with Malaysian director Zhang Jian on a new movie. When media outlets sought confirmation of the news, Fan Bingbing’s Malaysian agent Zhang Xinling did not deny the collaboration, but only mentioned to wait for the official announcement next month.
According to information released on the Chinese movie website “Douban”, there have been reports of Zhang Jian and Fan Bingbing working together on a new film. The data indicates that Zhang Jian is the director of the movie, with Fan Bingbing as the lead actress. Although the title of the film has not been disclosed, it is projected to be released in 2026, falling under the drama genre that Zhang Jian excels in.
As reported by Malaysian media “China Press”, while Zhang Jian has yet to respond to the above news, Fan Bingbing’s Malaysian agent Zhang Xinling cautiously stated, “Wait for the official announcement next month.” When asked whether Fan Bingbing would start filming in Malaysia in October, Zhang Xinling responded, “It’s not convenient to reveal at the moment.”
Earlier, Fan Bingbing was appointed as the Malacca Tourism Year Goodwill Ambassador by the Malacca State Government in Malaysia. In June of this year, Fan Bingbing made a four-day promotional visit to Malacca, attracting large crowds wherever she went, showcasing her immense popularity.
Zhang Jian, who was formerly a radio host for a Malaysian state-owned radio station, won the Best New Director award at the 57th Golden Horse Awards in 2020 for his debut film “South Shaman”. His second feature film “May Snow” received nine nominations at the 60th Golden Horse Awards, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Film Music, and Best Film Song (Lyrics), setting a personal record for nominations and ultimately winning the Best Sound Effects award.
Zhang Jian’s latest work “Cradle of the World” was recently selected for the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival in the competition section “Asian Future”. Now with news of his collaboration with Fan Bingbing, Malaysian netizens speculate that the new movie may be related to Malacca.
Following the 2018 scandal involving a “yin yang contract” and being embroiled in tax controversies, Fan Bingbing’s entertainment career plummeted. Fan Bingbing, who has not filmed domestically for six years, has been expanding her endeavors abroad in recent years. Seen frequently in Hong Kong recently, she is said to have officially acquired the status of a “new Hong Kong resident” and currently resides in a luxury apartment in Mid-Levels with a monthly rent of HK$650,000.
Despite being blacklisted in her home country, Fan Bingbing remains active overseas. Since last year, she has not only participated in the Cannes Film Festival, filmed in Korea, collaborated with Hollywood star Liam Neeson on “The Ice Road 2” but also founded the beauty brand Fan Beauty Diary. Previous Weibo posts indicate that Fan Bingbing is now focusing on expanding her brand internationally.