More than two decades after its television debut, the beloved historical fantasy series, A Step into the Past (尋秦記), is making its way to the big screen, spearheaded by original star Louis Koo. The highly anticipated film adaptation, premiering this month, reunites the core cast to continue the complex, evolving relationship between protagonists Hong Siu-lung and Ying Jing (Qin Shi Huang).
The excitement surrounding the film, which hits cinemas on August 31st, underscores the enduring cultural impact of the original series. Actor and Chief Producer Louis Koo successfully marshaled the original ensemble—including Raymond Lam, Jessica Hsuan, Tavia Yeung, Sonia Kwok, Au Sui-wai, and Cherie Chan—for filming back in 2019, turning a long-held fan dream into reality.
Echoes of Nostalgia Drive Anticipation
Koo expressed profound gratitude for the audience’s enthusiasm, noting the rarity of a two-decade-old drama sparking such intense collective memory and high cinematic expectations.
“I’ve heard accounts of people getting goosebumps just hearing the original theme song—the memories just instantly flood back,” Koo remarked. “Some fans are even planning to re-watch the entire series before seeing the film, which is wonderful validation of our work.”
The film serves as a direct narrative extension, detailing the events that unfold after Hong Siu-lung remains in the past, with the central conflict revolving around the dramatic shift and schism in his mentorship with Raymond Lam’s character, Ying Jing. Koo revealed he revisits the original series himself every few years, recognizing its classic status.
Returning to the role of the future Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Raymond Lam admitted the sequel brought considerable pressure, though not stemming from comparison to his younger self.
“The real challenge is sustaining the story,” Lam explained. “We need to preserve what viewers loved while delivering genuine surprise and narrative breakthroughs. I feel everything—from the initial script discussions with Louis and Jessica years ago to the final revisions—has culminated in the best possible arrangement.”
Mentorship and Legacy On and Off Screen
Lam openly regards Koo as both a significant mentor and a friend. He shared that Koo offered invaluable guidance during pivotal career decisions, highlighting that Koo’s instruction went beyond acting technique, emphasizing professional conduct and work ethic.
“Even during demanding shoots, Louis is incredibly focused, juggling multiple production roles flawlessly. His presence and energy are truly awe-inspiring,” Lam stated.
Koo, in turn, praised Lam’s maturity and consistent growth since their collaboration on recent projects like Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, hoping the film not only showcases their fictional master-student dynamics but also delivers the crucial message: “Cherish every moment.”
Acknowledging the constraints of feature film distribution, Koo disclosed that several “essential” and humorous scenes, including a particular sequence involving his character cooking a heart-shaped steak for Jessica Hsuan’s character, had to be excised due to runtime. While a director’s cut is unlikely given the lengthy content approval process, he hasn’t ruled out presenting the deleted material in an alternative format later.
Casting Challenges and Future Prospects
While coordinating the schedules of the main players, particularly Tavia Yeung amid her work on a sitcom, proved manageable, Koo cited fitting the narrative complexity into a concise cinematic format as the primary hurdle. Siu-tung Miu joins the cast as the major antagonist—a choice Koo felt was essential.
“We needed an actor familiar to the audience, someone with the requisite gravitas on screen,” Koo said, deeming Miu the perfect fit.
The film will also feature a special duet of the original theme song, “The Destiny is Highest,” performed by Koo and Lam. This unexpected musical collaboration follows the enthusiastic response to their impromptu performance at Lam’s recent concert. Koo joked about his return to the music scene: “Perhaps it truly is ‘destiny’s arrangement’ that I remain in the industry—I guess I never really left. Maybe I’ll win ‘Most Popular Male Singer’ again.”
Regarding the possibility of a sequel, Koo stated that any further continuation of the A Step into the Past saga would depend solely on the box office performance of the current cinematic release.
