Cai Guoqing alongside the director Lu Zhengyu promote the comedy The One.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Cai Guoqing looks like someone with the least potential for antihero roles.

But you will be able to watch the 49-year-old singer-actor do so in the new film The One. The movie, which will hit mainland theaters on July 7, stars Cai as a greedy, shrewd owner of a wealthy catering business.

"I've never been so frantic and crazy before on screen," Cai said at a promotional event in Beijing on Thursday. "In some sense, the movie has given me the chance to portray an unlikely role that I've yearned for years to play."

Inspired from a hit online series of the same title, the film follows the greedy businessman's adventure that leads him to a group of reclusive master chefs.

In addition to Cai, the cast includes veteran comedian Fan Wei, actress Liu Xiaoqing and Taiwan singer-actress Amber Kuo. The movie was earlier planned for release in late January, around this year's Spring Festival.