The plot thickens
WWII history buffs and spy-thriller stans, listen up. The new series Operation Doolittle is officially making waves, heading to the Asian Contents & Film Market at the Busan International Film Festival. The nine-part drama, which previously aired in China as River Sunset, has been recut for international audiences and is looking for a global home.
The vibes
The show is a major China-U.S. collaboration that lowkey goes hard on the history. It centers on the legendary 1942 Doolittle Raid, telling a fictional story about an American intelligence officer whose plane is shot down over Japanese-occupied territory. He ends up linking with a Chinese undercover agent and a local military doctor to protect top-secret plans. It’s giving high-stakes espionage, mixing battlefield action with the messy reality of living in hostile territory.
Who’s in it?
The cast is stacked, featuring Edward Zhang, Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers), Jeff Fahey (Lost), and Ning Chang. With directors Zhao Yilong and Shaun Piccinino at the helm, the series manages to switch between English, Chinese, and Japanese, making it a truly global project. Executive producer Han Sanping—a heavy hitter who formerly ran the China Film Group—is backing the production, proving this show is no cap a serious contender for your next binge-watch.
Why it matters
Writer and producer Zhao Jun says the goal is to highlight a shared history between China and the U.S. during the war. By bringing this story to a global stage, the team is hoping to set a new standard for international co-productions and maybe even pave the way for more cross-cultural storytelling in the future.
