Victor Vu to face off against Tran Thanh during 2027 Tet holiday
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Director Victor Vu (left) and Tran Thanh.
Victor Vu has previously stated that he is not concerned about multiple Vietnamese films competing against each other. He believes the theatrical market should be like a banquet, offering audiences a wide variety of choices. Regarding Ly Hai and Tran Thanh – two directors who have consistently achieved major success in recent years – he admires their ability to grasp public tastes and their distinct filmmaking styles.
For his new project, Victor Vu drew inspiration from the novel "Phuc Gia Truyen" by writer Hong Thai, his father-in-law. He received significant support from the author during the scriptwriting phase. After the first installment, he wrote several outlines for the sequel but was not satisfied. One day, the writer told Victor Vu he had a story he wanted to gift him, then handed over a manuscript several hundred pages long. He spent three nights poring over the concept before initiating the project.
Compared to the first installment, the film expands in terms of filming locations and the character ensemble. The story continues to revolve around Kien (played by Quoc Huy) – a 19th-century investigator – and his companion, Hai Man (Dinh Ngoc Diep). In addition to the two leads, the film introduces approximately 12 new roles, with casting beginning in late November 2025. The first film, "Ky an khong dau," grossed nearly 250 billion VND upon its release in 2025.
Actor Quoc Huy - in the role of Detective Kien - in the poster for the second part. Photo: Provided by the film crew
The 2027 Tet box office race is gradually taking shape with several potential projects. In addition to Victor Vu and Tran Thanh, director Duong Minh Chien has announced the martial arts film "Loan the," following the success of "Truy tim long dien huong." Director Bui Thac Chuyen is working on "Can ke cai chet," inspired by legendary prison escapes, marking his return following "Dia dao" (2025).
