“THE Climbers,” featuring China’s top stars including Wu Jing and Zhang Ziyi, has already passed the 100-million-yuan (US$14 million) threshold in presales before its official release Monday, the Chinese National Day.

That’s according to a report from Maoyan, China’s leading movie-ticketing platform.

The film follows the real-life expedition of Chinese climbers who made a historic ascent up the North Ridge of Mount Qomolangma (also known as Mount Everest) in 1960.

The film will also be available in 660 IMAX theaters.

During the filming process, the actors each had to carry a mountaineering bag with an oxygen cylinder and other equipment, which altogether weigh about 17 kilograms, but it feels much heavier than that on the plateau.

Wu Jing said he had to learn how to climb ice, how to use hail and break an ice wall to climb the slope. The film, directed by award-winning director Daniel Lee, was produced to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.(SD-Agencies)