Creation of the Gods makes epic return

Trilogy rooted in myth given modern treatment, much to the delight of audiences both at home and abroad, Xu Fan reports.

A pioneer in visualizing the fantastic and magical worlds of Chinese mythology, Wuershan has devoted the most golden decade of his career to a single project.

Since deciding in 2014 to bring the grand spectacle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel Fengshen Yanyi (The Investiture of the Gods) to life, the director has poured his passion and energy into Creation of the Gods, one of the most ambitious cinematic projects in the world's second-largest movie market.

Planned as a trilogy, the films also draw inspiration from Wuwang Fazhou Pinghua (King Wu Resists King Zhou), a novel written during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Both tales detail a war 3,000 years ago to overthrow a tyrant, during which celestial beings and demons joined forces with humans.