Cast members Lu Han (left) and Jing Boran. [Photo provided to China Daily]

It's common sense that leading stars are the biggest attraction to moviegoers, but the upcoming fantasy thriller The Lost Tomb seems poised to be an exception.

At a promotional event on Sunday, all the spotlights were cast onto the movie's screenwriter, Xu Lei, more familiar for his pseudonym, Nanpai Sanshu.

Xu began to write the best-selling novel series The Lost Tomb in 2006, and since then writing the series had been his only job.

The nine-book series has sold 20 million copies and was adapted into an online series early this year. Now, fans are delighted to find the novel has been adapted into a feature-length movie, financed by LeTV.

Film stars Lu Han (Miss Granny) and Jing Boran (Monster Hunt) are cast as the two protagonists — grave robbers.

Hong Kong veteran director Daniel Lee, known for a series of martial arts epics, takes the director's job.

The movie is set to be released this year, though a premiere date has yet to be announced.