The promotion material of The Eight Hundred Photo: Weibo

The official Sina Weibo account of film The Eight Hundred announced on Sunday that the film will debut in theaters on August 21. After being delayed in 2019 for technique problems, the film is set to be the first major Chinese blockbuster to be released in cinemas since the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Eight Hundred, directed by Guan Hu, mainly tells a story that takes place at the end of the Battle of Shanghai in 1937 during War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). It focuses on a battalion of the China’s National Revolutionary Army trapped in a warehouse fighting alone against enemies over four days.

The title of the film is from another name for the battalion: “The Eight Hundred Heroes.” 
The warehouse where the Chinese army battled Japanese invaders was just about 50 meters away from foreign settlements in Shanghai, where the Japanese army did not dare attack.

Because of the close distance, Chinese who were living in the foreign settlements could see the battlefield through telescopes.

Guan said in an interview that this is an “on looking” war. The people watching were changed by the soldiers’ spirit, gathering together to finally resist the invasion.

The film was originally set to release on July 5, 2019. Chinese netizens took to social media to express their anticipation for the film, with many saying they couldn’t wait to see the movie in cinemas.

Global Times