China-based production company 'Beijing Enlight Pictures' is currently executing their plan of launching a cinematic universe (they are calling it the 'Feng Shen cinematic universe'), based on China mythological figures at the moment, and their effort is seemingly going well so far. Here's what has been transpiring so far:
Back in 2015, a bunch of production companies came together to release a CGI animated film 'Monkey King: Hero is Back', which became one of the most successful film in the China market. It was a simplified retelling of Journey to the West, featuring monkey king, a small monk jiang liu er (essentially the monk whom the monkey king is protecting in the main story) and pigsy.
And last year, Beijing Enlight Pictures announces the release of their CGI animated movie 'Ne Zha', one of the many characters whom Monkey King will encounter in the main 'Journey to the West' story (but not in the Hero is Back movie). As part of the promotions of the movie, one of the animation studios for 'Hero is Back' collaborated with Enlight Pictures to release the following crossover video featuring Ne Zha, as well as both Monkey King and Jiang Liu Er
And Ne Zha ended up surpassing Hero is Back, becoming a bigger success in many aspects. The ending of the movie has a couple of extra mid and post credit scenes, one teasing a sequel, and another teasing a new character 'jiang ziya', who will appear in the movie 'Legend of Deification'. Jiang Ziya is a fellow Taoist disciple of Ne Zha's teacher.
And the movie is releasing next week in coincidence with the lunar new year. In recent weeks there are a couple of crossover promotional materials featuring Monkey King, Ne Zha and Jiang Ziya.
And today, the studio released the following poster for lunar new year and to promote the movie, and it feature the characters from the 3 movies
The production studio has expressed interest in a crossover movie of monkey king and ne zha one day. Considering the various crossover materials, it shouldn't be hard to think that the production studios of Hero is Back will discuss a crossover movie with Enlight Pictures. Considering the success of both Hero is Back and Ne Zha, and the upcoming hype of the movie and the crossover potentials, it seems that this might be a successful shot from China in creating a cinematic universe of their own in the future.
Back in 2015, a bunch of production companies came together to release a CGI animated film 'Monkey King: Hero is Back', which became one of the most successful film in the China market. It was a simplified retelling of Journey to the West, featuring monkey king, a small monk jiang liu er (essentially the monk whom the monkey king is protecting in the main story) and pigsy.
And last year, Beijing Enlight Pictures announces the release of their CGI animated movie 'Ne Zha', one of the many characters whom Monkey King will encounter in the main 'Journey to the West' story (but not in the Hero is Back movie). As part of the promotions of the movie, one of the animation studios for 'Hero is Back' collaborated with Enlight Pictures to release the following crossover video featuring Ne Zha, as well as both Monkey King and Jiang Liu Er
And Ne Zha ended up surpassing Hero is Back, becoming a bigger success in many aspects. The ending of the movie has a couple of extra mid and post credit scenes, one teasing a sequel, and another teasing a new character 'jiang ziya', who will appear in the movie 'Legend of Deification'. Jiang Ziya is a fellow Taoist disciple of Ne Zha's teacher.
And the movie is releasing next week in coincidence with the lunar new year. In recent weeks there are a couple of crossover promotional materials featuring Monkey King, Ne Zha and Jiang Ziya.
And today, the studio released the following poster for lunar new year and to promote the movie, and it feature the characters from the 3 movies
The production studio has expressed interest in a crossover movie of monkey king and ne zha one day. Considering the various crossover materials, it shouldn't be hard to think that the production studios of Hero is Back will discuss a crossover movie with Enlight Pictures. Considering the success of both Hero is Back and Ne Zha, and the upcoming hype of the movie and the crossover potentials, it seems that this might be a successful shot from China in creating a cinematic universe of their own in the future.
