Starring Shen Teng (沈腾), Johnny Huang (黃景瑜), and Yin Zheng (尹正), the 2019 comedy film Pegasus released across China on Lunar New Year to widespread commercial success, making it one of three movies released over the holiday to break 100 million RMB within a week of initial screenings, alongside Crazy Alien (疯狂的外星人) and Wandering Earth (流浪地球). The story follows Zhang Chi, an ex-rally racer, as he takes his last shot at winning the Bayanbulak Rally Championships. Accompanying Zhang on his journey to win back his righteous place at the top are his old co-driver, Sun Yuqiang, as well as his adopted son, Zhang Fei. A fun-filled, high-octane romp through China’s racing scene, the movie intersperses the action with a heartfelt, tear-jerking story about found family and the cost of achieving one’s dreams.
Han Han (韩寒), the movie’s director, based much of the movie’s events on both his own life and the lives of those around him. A best-selling author and popular blogger, Han had previously been involved in numerous controversies with other authors, subsequently taking a break from writing to become a professional rally driver. Zhang Chi’s climb back into the spotlight in Pegasus mirrors Han’s own struggle to regain recognition in Chinese literary circles after his hiatus, before Han turned to directing in 2014 with his debut film, The Continent (后会无期).