Tencent Video announced on Monday the award-winning sci-fi novel "The Stars" will be adapted into an online series, while the much-anticipated "Three-Body" has entered post-production.

At a press conference during the ongoing 27th Shanghai TV Festival (STVF), Jeff Han, vice president of streaming giant Tencent Video, announced a rich list of TV and online series it plans to develop, with "The Stars" one of the highlights. 

The work published by People's Literature Publishing House and sci-fi flagship company Eight Light Minutes Culture Communication Co., Ltd in 2019, won the gold award for best sci-fi novel at the 11th Chinese Nebula Awards, China's top sci-fi award, in Lingshui, Hainan province in April.

The novel is the latest work by Zhao Lei, who writes under the pen name Qi Yue (July). The novel manages to tell a hardcore science fiction story in the style of a detective thriller. Xia Tong, film development director of Eight Light Minutes, told China.org.cn that the script has been under development for nearly a year. 

Another eye-popping development was "Three-Body." The online series, based on the Hugo Award-winning sci-fi book trilogy by Liu Cixin, is one of Tencent Video's major projects and the most high-profile productions drawing public attention for years. Han promised they would continue to develop the series in the future.

Three Body Universe (Shanghai) Cultural Development Co., Ltd., subsidiary of Yoozoo Group, confirmed to China.org.cn that the filming of the first part of Chinese sci-fi series, based on the first book of the trilogy, has been completed and is now in post-production. The series will star popular Chinese actors Zhang Luyi, Yu Hewei, Wang Ziwen, Chen Jin, Lin Yongjian and Li Xiaoran. 

There will also be an English online original series with Netflix, and a live-action film in cooperation with a new creative team headed by director Tian Xiaopeng, as well as an animated adaptation project by the Chinese online video streaming platform Bilibili.

Though announcing the project, the Tencent Video executive did not reveal any release dates. Other highlights in the original series list announced include long-awaited drama series "Blossoms Shanghai" by famous Hong Kong-based director Wong Kar-wai, e-sports series "League of Legends," tomb raider series "Mojin," China's medical aid to Africa series "Ebola Fighters" and more. Tencent Video will also work with Star Overseas, a company of the comedy giant Stephen Chow, to explore more online series projects. 

Han added that they will also expand investment into online films this year.

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