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| “95% Wu Lei!”: New Look for Dongji Island Sends Internet into Meltdown |
Mark your calendars, film fans – August 8, 2025, is when Dongji Island finally hits cinemas, and judging by the first behind-the-scenes clips, it’s already shaping up to be one of the boldest Chinese film releases this year. Directed by Guan Hu (The Eight Hundred), the survival-thriller stars Zhu Yilong, Ni Ni, and a jaw-droppingly transformed Leo Wu Lei – and yes, it’s that dramatic.
If you thought you knew Wu Lei, think again. The 25-year-old actor, who quite literally grew up in front of Chinese audiences, has stripped back every polished layer – both metaphorically and physically – to portray a rugged fisherman caught in a tense tale of treasure diving and lurking submarines. And we’re not exaggerating when we say fans barely recognised him.
Gone are the tidy haircuts and flawless skin. Instead, Wu Lei appears on screen sun-darkened, muscle-toned, and – in a now-viral wardrobe fitting clip – dressed in nothing but what fans are calling “a whisper of a loincloth.”
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The short video shows him awkwardly laughing in a khaki vest and shorts before gradually shedding layers under the director’s eye. “I feel very embarrassed. I’m not ready for this,” he said with a sheepish grin. Director Guan Hu’s answer? “Get used to it.”
But Wu Lei did far more than just undress. In preparation for the film’s many underwater scenes, he underwent months of intensive diving training alongside Zhu Yilong. The pair were reportedly tasked with pulling off professional-grade movements, including holding their breath for up to 4 minutes and 30 seconds and deep-diving to 9 metres.
All so they could convincingly play fishermen-turned-treasure hunters caught in a sudden nightmare: an enormous submarine looming beneath deceptively calm waters.
The story is based on the real-life Lisbon Maru sinking in 1942, a tragic event during WWII. But don’t expect a simple historical retelling – Dongji Island is billed as an atmospheric, near-surreal survival piece, where nature, time, and trauma collide beneath the sea.
Still, the internet can’t stop talking about Wu Lei’s “10% coverage look.” In some scenes, he’s seen walking around with just a sliver of fabric – a costume so minimal that, as one fan joked, “his bum has become cheerful.” Social media lit up with reactions like: “This is basically 95% Wu Lei,” and “Those triangle briefs should come with a nosebleed warning.”
Meanwhile, Zhu Yilong, playing another fisherman, also sports a stripped-down, sun-scorched look. Though slightly less revealing, his presence brings a grounded emotional weight to the film, especially in contrast to the volatile, almost primal setting.
Ni Ni, the only lead actress in the main trio, reportedly has a quieter but no less impactful role. While details on her character are still under wraps, her raw and pared-back styling suggests she, too, is far from her usual glamorous image. Insiders say her scenes bring a kind of melancholic beauty to the harsh narrative.
From tight breath-hold scenes underwater to raw vulnerability above it, Dongji Island seems to be pushing its cast – and its audience – to places few mainstream films dare. Whether it’s the toned physiques, the cinematic tension, or just Leo Wu Lei in a loincloth, this is one island dive you’ll probably remember.
🎥 Quick Facts:
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🎬 Dongji Island is directed by Guan Hu, known for large-scale wartime epics.
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🌊 Based on the 1942 sinking of the Lisbon Maru.
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👣 Wu Lei trained for 1 year in free diving.
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⏱️ He and Zhu Yilong can hold their breath for 4 mins 30 secs on screen.
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🩲 Wu Lei’s costume has been described by netizens as “legendary 10% coverage.”
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📆 Premieres in China 8 August 2025, international release TBA.