Peter Chan Ho-sun's Li Na Biopic Remains in Limbo

It’s been almost year since it was announced that a biopic about Chinese tennis superstar Li Na was on the cards, but it seems the film is still stuck in development hell.

The two-time Grand Slam champion retired in 2014, and has since had a baby and become a celebrity chef for Element Fresh. But, according to reports, the script for the film, which charts her life from Soviet-style training as a kid through to tennis superstardom, still hasn’t been finalized.

The plot is supposed to be based on Li ‘s biography, Li Na: My Life, which offered a candid look at her historic career that saw her win both the French and Australian Open titles before being forced into early retirement due to injuries.

The film showed up as the main highlight on J.Q. Pictures (also known as Stellar Mega Films) 2016 slate, which was unveiled yesterday. It is meant to chart Li’s course through her gruelling training as a child, through her father’s death and up to the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open. 

Filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun apparently hasn’t been a fan of the first few scripts and has since enlisted Zhang Ji, the screenwriter for American Dreams in China and Dearest, to write a new one.

“The script is the most important element for this film,” Chan told Netease Sports in January, “and since previous versions of the script haven’t been ideal, we’ve had to start over.”

“So we’re just waiting for the screenwriter. Once we start shooting, we’ll be able to wrap it all up quite quickly.”

Auditioning for the lead role was supposed to wrap up by July last year but as of yet there has been no confirmation as to who will be up for the challenge. Zhao Wei is rumored to be among the top picks for the lead role. Other names in the running include Tang Wei, and the two Bingbing’s – Fan and Li.

It will be interesting to see how true to life the film will turn out. Well-known for her outspoken independence, and her humor – often at the expense of her husband and coach Jiang Shan – Li is also well-known for her reluctance to embrace the state-run training system that made her.

Interlacing the acted scenes will be real footage from Li Na’s career. We’ll have to wait to find out if it includes the shot of an official literally slapping her for getting bronze medal for a mixed doubles match at China’s national games one year.

Additional reporting Zoe Law

Images: s-sports.ru, Netease Sports, Element Fresh