SPIRIT SLAYER: RISE OF THE APPRENTICE

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An asian supernatural action comedy from Singapore.

Shot using virtual production technology.

Starring Andrew Lua, Grace 张嘉轩, Sunny Pang, and Golden Horse winner Hong Hui Fang

LOGLINE

When a cocky spirit slayer apprentice botches a sacred ritual, he unleashes his grandfather’s vengeful ex — a seductive fox demon. As the veil between worlds fractures, he must grow into the slayer he was meant to be… or lose everything to a ghost from his family’s past.

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Wen Li, the lazy but talented grandson of two spirit slayers, is sent on an errand during a rare blood moon. When he carelessly botches a talisman ritual at the sacred Spirit Tree, a forbidden seal breaks , releasing Ling Yan, a seductive and vengeful fox spirit once imprisoned by his grandfather, Master Liu.

As Ling Yan possesses a young office worker and begins a trail of chaos, Wen Li must confront the spirit face to face aboard a city bus , with salt, rice, and very little clue what he’s doing. When Master Liu enters the fray, old secrets unravel, and the cost of past decisions comes due.

Blending Taoist rituals, martial arts, and supernatural comedy, Spirit Slayer: Rise of the Apprentice is a genre blending origin story set in modern day Singapore, where one reckless mistake awakens a haunting past , and forces a slacker to grow into a spirit slayer.

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF SPIRIT SLAYER

In the underbelly of a crumbling Singaporean alley way, a modest feng shui shop hides something far more dangerous than incense and antiques. Run by the cantankerous Madam Zhao and her husband Master Liu, both retired spirit slayers, the shop is also home to their grandson Wen Li: a comic book reading slacker with untapped spiritual potential.
During a rare blood moon, Wen Li is tasked with refreshing talismans at the ancient Spirit Tree. Distracted and careless, he fails to secure a black and gold talisman, accidentally releasing Ling Yan , a fox spirit once sealed away by Master Liu. Possessing an unsuspecting office worker, Ling Yan seduces and kills a passenger on a city bus, then turns her attention to Wen Li. His improvised defense , using the wrong rice and stale salt water , proves ineffective.
When Master Liu and Madam Zhao discover the breach, it’s already too late. Ling Yan lures them into a burning spirit illusion of a village from their past , revealing not just her power, but her former romantic connection to Master Liu. The confrontation reignites old wounds and ends in tragedy, with Master Liu sacrificing himself to seal Ling Yan again.
In the aftermath, Wen Li and Madam Zhao barely escape through a collapsing portal. She gives him a choice: walk away from the life that took her husband, or embrace the slayer legacy and train to finish what his grandfather started.
Spirit Slayer: Rise of the Apprentice is a supernatural martial arts short fusing folklore, action, and black comedy. Shot using virtual production at X3D Studios, it reimagines the spirit slaying genre through a modern Southeast Asian lens , complete with possessed commuters, paper talismans, exploding chicken bones, and a reluctant hero who may finally be ready to grow up.
With striking visuals, fast paced stunt choreography, and a tongue in cheek tone, Spirit Slayer: Rise of the Apprentice is a supernatural action comedy rooted in Taoist rituals, Southeast Asian spirit lore, and the age old struggle between fate and free will. Featuring Golden Horse nominated Hong Hui Fang (Ajoomma) and award winning stunt director Sunny Pang (The Night Comes for Us), this short film is the explosive origin story of an unlikely hero , and a spiritual war just beginning to unfold.

CAST & CREW

HONG HUI FANG

"MADAM ZHAO"
A celebrated veteran of Singapore’s screen industry, Hong Hui Fang has captivated audiences for over four decades. She is a Golden Horse Awards Best Actress nominee for Ajoomma and winner of Best Actress at the Asian World Film Festival. Known for her fluency in multiple Chinese dialects and emotionally grounded performances, her iconic roles span from Samsui Women to Blooms of Happiness. In Spirit Slayer, she plays the no nonsense matriarch and seasoned demon hunter, Madam Zhao.
SUNNY PANG

“MASTER LIU” / STUNT COORDINATOR
Sunny Pang is an acclaimed actor, martial artist, and action director known for hard-hitting performances in Headshot, The Night Comes for Us, and Geylang, which earned him a Golden Horse nomination for Best Action Choreography. As the founder of Ronin Action Group, he has shaped fight scenes across Southeast Asian film and TV (Code of Law). Pang recently made his international debut in Netflix’s Havoc alongside Tom Hardy, bringing gravitas and physical authenticity to the role of Master Liu, a stoic spirit slayer with a haunted past. Sunny also coordinated all stunt work on the film.
ANDREW LUA

“WEN LI”
Andrew Lua is a multilingual Singaporean actor known for international roles in Almost Paradise, Boi, and Haunted Changi. A graduate in film and theatre, his performances span stage, screen, and genre TV, often portraying complex, conflicted characters. In Spirit Slayer, Lua plays Wen Li , a reluctant, underachieving spirit slayer whose misstep sets the story in motion.
GRACE TEO

“LING YAN”
Grace Teo is a rising talent known for her fierce, physical performances and emotional range. Recently featured in Ranjeet Marwa’s Blood Rush, she has built a reputation for doing her own stunt work and is among the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes at Singapore’s Star Awards 2025. As Ling Yan, she embodies a seductive fox demon with a grudge , a perfect fusion of elegance and menace.
KAREN SEAH

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Karen Seah is the founder of X3D Studio and executive producer of Spirit Slayer. A pioneer in virtual production, she built Southeast Asia’s largest LED volume studio and has produced award-winning series including Asia’s Next Top Model and The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition. With a background spanning tech and storytelling, Seah brings visionary leadership and cutting-edge innovation to every frame.
JOEL LIM

WRITER/DIRECTOR/DOP
Joel Lim is an independent filmmaker, virtual‑production supervisor, and executive producer known for directing the post‑apocalyptic short Dead End (starring Qi Yuwu and Andrew Lua) and creating the cinematic opening titles for The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition. With a background in engineering, finance, and commercial photography, Lim brings technical precision and visual storytelling depth to Spirit Slayer.

Directors Statement

Spirit Slayer is the kind of film I’ve always wanted to make; fast, funny, full of heart, and rooted in the folklore and pop cinema I grew up loving.

As a child, I was obsessed with supernatural comedies like Mr. Vampire and A Chinese Ghost Story. These films weren’t just about ghosts , they were about clever underdogs using talismans, rituals, and heart to defeat ancient spirits. What appealed about these movies were that they were not just about the mindless jump scares, they were about solving a really scary puzzle with skill and cunning, and because of that as a kid you played along, which is what I find to be the pinnacle of entertainment.

With Spirit Slayer: Rise of the Apprentice, I wanted to recapture that spirit of fun and danger, while exploring the weight of legacy. Wen Li, our protagonist, is supernaturally gifted but too lazy to live up to his potential , until a botched ritual forces him to grow into the man he was meant to be.

This film is also a technical proof of concept , shot using virtual production at X3D Studios in Singapore. We built every environment in engine, showing how Southeast Asian genre films can be bold, cinematic, and scalable with new tools.

This is the kind of film I’ve always wanted to make: fast, funny, full of heart, and rooted in the folklore and pop cinema I grew up loving.