Cast
Andy Lau as Zhao Zilong, the main character. Regarding his performance, Lau said "There are three perspectives on Zhao; historians' professional knowledge, how normal people like us remember him and his character known through a popular computer game. I can't satisfy all these, but I tried to stay true to the script." Sammo Hung said that "Lau had to portray a man from his 20s to 70s, and he did it perfectly, with the look in his eyes and all, particularly in the last scene when an invincible hero loses for the first time."
Maggie Q as Cao Ying, a female warrior who wears men's clothing. In the original story, the role was that of a male character. To perform this role, Maggie Q performed several action sequences, learned how to speak Mandarin, and learned how to play the pipa, a Chinese musical instrument. In addition, Maggie Q, a vegan, refused to wear or allow the use of real animal fur during the production of the film, so the costume she wore was made from faux fur instead. Maggie Q said that at times she felt like an "outsider." In regards to the action sequences, she said "It's tough being in these guy movies, I feel like I'm always in these guy movies, I really want to do a chick flick." and in regards to the music work, she argued that she was "not a musician, not even close! It was a cause of a lot of stress. I would go to sleep crying. I feel myself more clumsy and not so feminine and so I just had shut Maggie off for a while and be this person and really believe it." Maggie said in 2008 that while the film "was probably the most difficult film I've done yet," she obtained "love and respect" for Daniel Lee and "everything attracted me about the role and the film." With regards to her character, she said that like Cao Ying, she "got to feel like that in this industry, where you sort of wish you could just be a woman and relax and be happy but it takes a lot of strength to be where you are." Regarding Maggie Q's performance, Hung said "I had doubts. But she blew me away." Zhang Yujiao played the younger Cao Ying.
Sammo Hung as Luo Ping'an, a soldier from the same hometown as Zhao Zilong.
Vanness Wu as Guan Xing, Guan Yu's son.
Andy On as Deng Zhi, a Shu general and a subordinate of Zhao Zilong.
Ti Lung as Guan Yu, Liu Bei's sworn brother and one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.
Elliot Ngok as Liu Bei, a warlord and the founding emperor of Shu.
Pu Cunxin as Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei's advisor and the chancellor of Shu.
Chen Zhihui as Zhang Fei, Liu Bei's sworn brother and one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.
Damian Lau as Cao Cao, a warlord and Liu Bei's rival.
Yu Rongguang as Han De, a Wei general and subordinate of Cao Ying.
Ding Haifeng as Zhang Bao, Zhang Fei's son.
Jiang Hongbo as Ruan'er, Zhao Zilong's romantic interest
Wang Hongtao as Huang Zhong, one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.
Menghe Wuliji as Ma Chao, one of the Five Tiger Generals of Shu.
Liang Yujin as Lady Gan, Liu Bei's wife.
Bai Jing as Lady Mi, Liu Bei's wife.
Zhao Erkang as Ruan'er's father
Timmy Hung as Han Ying, Han De's son.
Yang Jian as Han Yao, Han De's son.
Chen Guohui as Han Jing, Han De's son.
Zhang Mang as Han Qi, Han De's son.
Hu Jingbo as Liu Shan, the last emperor of Shu. Feng Xiaoxiao played the younger Liu Shan.
Andi Setyawan as Han De's son.
