The mysterious world of code breaking took center stage in Beijing on July 25, when the highly anticipated film adaptation of Mai Jia’s bestselling novel “Decoded” celebrated its grand premiere.

The cryptographic feature film directed by Chen Sicheng joins the highly competitive summer box office charts at China’s box office, running from June to the end of August and having grossed 6.5 billion yuan ($900.83 million) as of July 25.

With an international cast led by rising star Liu Haoran and Hollywood veteran John Cusack, as well as guest appearances by Chinese cinema greats Chen Daoming, Daniel Wu and Yu Feihong, “Decoded” promises to be a standout new addition to the season’s lineup.

Shot entirely in IMAX format, the film tells the story of Rong Jinzhen, a mathematical genius with a fragile and reclusive nature who dedicates his life to the complex and dangerous field of cryptography.

The film was released in limited previews on July 25, 27 and 28 before opening nationwide on Saturday.

Industry analysts see “Decoded” as a potential box office hit. While the hit comedy “Successor” has been boosting ticket sales recently, “Decoded” is a more intellectual offering that could diversify the audience.

“Of the 13 film and television adaptations of my novels, Decoded is the closest to my original work,” says Mai Jia, the novel’s acclaimed author, expressing his satisfaction with the film adaptation. “It was my first novel and has a special place in my heart.”

He stresses the difficulty of bringing the abstract world of mathematics and cryptography to the screen, and highlights that the decoding of the human heart is at the heart of the film, calling this emotional task “the most profound cipher in the world.”

Chen, who took on the dual role of director and co-screenwriter, talks about his motivations and creative path in adapting the novel.

“Every person is a unique code and life is a process of decoding. This theme touches me deeply and is a central focus of the film,” says Chen.

Chen also reflects on the challenges and artistic choices made during the filmmaking process, including the inclusion of ten dream sequences.

One of the most technically challenging scenes was the creation of a red sand beach in the studio. To achieve a realistic interaction between the waves and the red sand, real sand and wave machines were used.

Using a giant LED string of lights, Chen realized his vision of “capturing the feeling of a sunset on the horizon,” a visual result he says the team is “very proud” of.

Chen is widely known as the director of the comedic blockbuster series “Detective Chinatown” and as the executive producer of the crime thriller hits “Sheep Without a Shepherd,” “Fireflies in the Sun” and “Lost in the Stars.”

“Lost in the Stars” contributed over 3.5 billion yuan to China’s total box office revenue of 20.62 billion yuan in summer 2023.

“Decoded” joins a slew of new summer titles across a variety of genres and is a testament to Chen’s evolving artistic vision and the Chinese film industry’s growing appetite for diverse adaptations.

Now all eyes are on whether this adaptation of a popular spy novel can crack the code for commercial success in China’s increasingly competitive theatrical landscape.