60 Million Viewers: First Look at Chinese Lord of the Rings Sequel!

“The greatest Chinese legend is coming to theaters soon!” Creation Of The Gods is set to return to cinemas in 2025, and to tide you over, a few seconds from its sequel, Demon Force, have been unveiled.

Showing on February 10 and 11, 2024 for a limited release, and then nationwide in France on July 10, Creation of the Gods: Kingdom of Storms is a Chinese blockbuster akin to The Lord of the Rings. Rich in grand spectacle, the film directed by Wuershan has made its way to France, delighting fantasy fans.

If you missed this first installment, it will be available on VOD starting December 31.

The film is an adaptation of the 17th-century novel The Investiture of the Gods, which depicts the battles of dynasties. Considered a Chinese counterpart to The Lord of the Rings, Creation of the Gods is the first chapter of a trilogy. It is subtitled Kingdom of Storms.

The story introduces us to Prince Yin Shou. He ascends to the throne of the Shang kingdom in a bloody coup with the help of Daji, his demonic consort. The wise Taoist sage Jiang Ziya, descended from the sacred Mount Kunlun, and Ji Fa, a diplomatic hostage raised by Yin Shou, join forces to fight the tyrant.

A Trilogy Filmed Back-to-Back

Creation of the Gods is a trilogy. Much like Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings, all three episodes were filmed consecutively over a period of 18 months!

“This feature film ushers in a new era of mythological epic in Sinophone cinema with an unprecedented trilogy. The work aims to forge a contemporary vision of Chinese mythology by utilizing the latest special effects to focus on the relationships between fathers and sons,” explains director Wuershan.

“It conveys universal values while accurately reflecting Chinese ethics and aesthetics. The ambition of the film is to make this timeless tale known through cutting-edge cinematic means, so it becomes a spiritual legacy for future generations.”

Spoiler Alert: Ending of Creation of the Gods Revealed Below

At the end of the movie, the evil ruler Yin Shou is finally defeated after an epic battle. However, in a post-credits scene, the fox-demon, through Daji, the king’s demonic mistress, resurrects the antagonist. He will return in the next installment to seek his revenge.

The official synopsis for the sequel goes as follows: as King Shang’s troops prepare to strike the Western Lands over which he now reigns, Ji Fa organizes the resistance with the help of the Taoist Jiang Ziya.

Against the tyrant’s formidable warriors and their dark magic, Ji Fa can rely on the support of new allies, also endowed with supernatural powers. The deadly struggle for the Investiture of the Gods has only just begun…

As of now, no release date has been announced for the second part. However, the teaser released in France confirms that the sequel, Demon Force, will indeed be hitting theaters.

Creation of the Gods has drawn over 60 million viewers in China and has grossed $372 million worldwide against an estimated budget of about 100 million Euros.