Jiang Ziya (film)

Jiang Ziya (Chinese: 姜子牙; pinyin: Jiāng Zǐyá, sometimes spelt as Jiang Zi Ya)[3] is a 2020 Chinese 3D computer-animated fantasy adventure film directed by Cheng Teng and Li Wei. Featuring the mythological and fictional version of the popular Chinese figure Jiang Ziya, the plot is loosely based on the novel Investiture of the Gods by Xu Zhonglin.[4] It is a follow-up to 2019's Ne Zha and the second installment of the Fengshen Cinematic Universe.[5][6]

Jiang Ziya
Theatrical release poster
Chinese姜子牙
MandarinJiāng Zǐyá
Directed by
  • Cheng Teng
  • Li Wei
Produced by
  • Wang Jing
  • Gao Weihua
Screenplay byXie Xiying
Based onInvestiture of the Gods
by Xu Zhonglin
Starring
Music byRaymond Wong
Production
company
Beijing Enlight Pictures
Coloroom Pictures
Zhongchuan Hedao
Cocoa beans Animation
Distributed byBeijing Enlight Pictures
Release date
  • October 1, 2020 (2020-10-01)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin[1]
Box office$243.8 million[2]

The film was initially scheduled for release in China on 25 January 2020,[7] but following the COVID-19 pandemic all Chinese New Year releases were cancelled. The new release date was on 1 October 2020.[8] The film's official English title in China is Legend of Deification, and it is released as Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification in the United Kingdom,[9] Australia, New Zealand,[10] and Singapore.[11]

Cast

Production

Inspiration

The film tells the story of the mythological and fictional literary version of Jiang Ziya from the Investiture of the Gods, a gargantuan Ming-dynasty (1368–1644) shenmo novel that is traditionally attributed to Xu Zhonglin, and incorporates various existing myths into a wider narrative.[12] Jiang Ziya is traditionally depicted in Chinese fiction as a Taoist adept in Chinese folk religion and Taoism. In the original novel, Jiang is a 72-year-old man. In this film, Jiang Ziya is portrayed as a middle-aged man who insists on following his heart despite having a complex past.

Release

On 12 December 2019, the producers released their first trailer.

In an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, distributors have rescheduled all release dates of films, including that of Jiang Ziya. It was originally set for release on 25 January 2020 in China. The new release date was on 1 October 2020.

The film was released on that date simultaneously in China,[1] the United States, Canada,[6] the United Kingdom,[9][3] Australia, New Zealand,[13] and Singapore.[11]

Box office

In China, pre-sale tickets totaled up to 90 million yuan (US$13.3 million).[14] In just eight hours since its release, the film has grossed a total of 297 million yuan (US$43.7 million). The box office performance in its first day of release surpassed that of its predecessor film, Ne Zha (144 million yuan, or US$21.2 million) by the record of 308 million yuan (US$45.4 million).[15]

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 80% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 5.67/10.[16]

References
  1. "姜子牙 (豆瓣)" (in Chinese). Douban. 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  2. https://m.the-numbers.com/movie/Jiang-Ziya-(China)#tab=summary
  3. "Past, present and future releases to Past, Present and Future Releases | UK Recent and Upcoming Movie". Film Distributors' Association. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  4. "New Chinese animated film Legend of Deification to hit theaters in January". Xinhua News. Xinhua News Agency. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. 《姜子牙》春节档上映，封神宇宙诞生，网友这份电影名单令人期待 (in Chinese). Tencent QQ. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. "JIANG ZIYA (2020) – Official Movie Site – Coming in 2020". Well Go USA Entertainment. 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  7. "Chinese mythology series Jiangziya relay Nezha at the beginning of the new year". jqknews. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  8. 苏姗, ed. (16 August 2020). 国漫力作《姜子牙》10月1日国庆上映. Xinhua News (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  9. "姜子牙 Jiang Ziya | Chinalion Film 北美华狮电影 – Theatrical Release". Chinalion Film Distribution. 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  10. "LEGEND OF DEIFICATION | ANZ FINAL TRAILER | 30 JAN". YouTube. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  11. "Jiang Ziya: Legend Of Deification (2020) Showtimes, Movie Tickets and Reviews". Popcorn. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  12. "New movie Legend of Deification to hit Chinese cinemas". MENAFN. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  13. "China Lion Film 澳洲华狮电影". China Lion Film Distribution. Retrieved 1 October 2020. In Cinemas OCT 01
  14. "《姜子牙》年冠稳了？首日票房将突破3亿，延续了《哪吒》的辉煌 – 娱乐资讯(存满娱乐网)". www.cunman.com. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  15. 旅行指路人 (1 October 2020). "上映8小时票房狂收2.97亿,《姜子牙》打破动画片纪录,片方赚翻". Sina Corp. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  16. "JIANG ZIYA". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.