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| Be Reborn Spin-Off Origin Begins Filming, Wu Jinyan Returns with a Dark New Role (Photo: Youku) |
Fans of the Be Reborn franchise finally have something new to celebrate. The latest instalment, Origin (重生之门·源起), has officially begun filming in Chengdu, Sichuan province, marking a fresh chapter in Youku’s popular suspense IP.
The opening ceremony brought together lead stars Wu Jinyan and Xiao Shunyao, alongside supporting cast members Shang Xinyue, Kang Yiming, and Liu Guancheng.
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While Origin sits within the wider Be Reborn “thieves universe”, the series follows an entirely independent storyline, making it newcomer-friendly while still rewarding long-time the Cdrama fans.
Set five years after a high-profile theft, the drama centres on Zhou Yan (Wu Jinyan), once known as a legendary female thief. After serving time for stealing a rare treasure, she’s forced back into the criminal underworld upon her release — not for greed or ambition, but to protect her family.
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Her reluctant return pulls her into a dangerous game of wits, where she crosses paths with Wei Zhan (Xiao Shunyao). Together, they navigate a maze of shifting loyalties, hidden motives, and moral grey zones, setting up a classic cat-and-mouse dynamic with a modern twist.
Visually, Origin leans heavily into a dark, urban underworld aesthetic. Early set photos hint at tense chase scenes, slick heists, and a grounded realism that blends old-school methods with cutting-edge tech.
Wu Jinyan is no stranger to strong, sharp-edged characters, having built her reputation through hugely popular revenge-driven period dramas.
This time, she steps fully outside her comfort zone, trading palace intrigue for street-level suspense.
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Notably, Origin marks her rapid return to work following childbirth. After completing Jiang Shan Wei Pin, she moved straight into this project, continuing a packed filming schedule.
To prepare for the role, she reportedly underwent weeks of intensive closed training, covering parkour, close-combat movement, and technical skills required for modern heist scenes.
Zhou Yan is written as a character who walks a fine line — operating in darkness while holding onto her own code. It’s a tougher, more grounded role that signals a significant turning point in Wu Jinyan’s screen image.
For Xiao Shunyao, Origin marks his first time leading a suspense drama in this genre. He plays a gifted heir from a family deeply rooted in the thieves’ world, bringing a “traditional versus tech-driven” contrast to the story.
His dynamic with Wu Jinyan promises a layered push-and-pull, balancing trust, rivalry, and shared survival.
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Producer Yu Zheng didn’t shy away from confidence, publicly calling Origin another “ace project” — a statement that quickly pushed the drama onto trending lists.
That confidence isn’t without reason. The original Be Reborn (2022), starring Zhang Yi and Wang Junkai, became one of the year’s biggest suspense hits, pulling in massive viewership numbers and dominating popularity charts for weeks.
Rather than repeating that formula, Origin deliberately shifts perspective, placing female redemption and moral choice at the heart of the narrative.
The drama also reunites key members of the original creative team, with experienced producers and writers reportedly spending over two months refining the script to maintain tight logic and narrative pacing.
Shot across Chengdu’s historic streets and modern cityscapes, the series blends atmosphere with action — from rapid-fire lock-breaking sequences to high-tech theft methods that feel thrilling yet grounded. More importantly, it keeps the emotional core intact, staying true to the franchise’s theme of finding light within chaos.
With a proven IP, a reliable production team, and Wu Jinyan’s career-defining transformation, Origin is shaping up to be one of Youku’s most talked-about suspense titles in the pipeline.
While Youku has yet to announce a confirmed premiere date, industry chatter points to a planned release in the second half of 2026. With filming still in its early stages and the production team known for spending extra time on post-production and pacing, Origin is expected to follow a longer, carefully polished schedule rather than a rushed rollout. For fans, that likely means a wait — but one that aims to pay off in quality.