The Chinese-animated film New Gods: Yang Jian is coming to theaters in the U.S. on Jan. 20.
GKIDS, the North American distributor of the film, featured a trailer for the upcoming movie on its website. Like its animated predecessor, New Gods: Nezha Reborn, New Gods: Yang Jian found inspiration from events and figures from Chinese mythology. It performed well domestically, earning the equivalent of $77 million at the Chinese box office, with $19.8 million of that total from opening weekend alone. The film will have a limited theatrical release in the United States, allowing viewers to choose between the original Chinese-language version with subtitles or the English-dubbed version.
About New Gods: Yang Jian
New Gods: Yang Jian was produced by Light Chaser Animation, with Ji Zhao (White Snake, New Gods: Nezha Reborn) at the helm as Director and Muchuan serving as the film’s writer. Set in ancient China, the movie’s plot revolves around the titular Yang Jian, a once-powerful God that falls from greatness to live out a mortal’s life as a poor bounty hunter. When a mysterious woman hires him for work, Yang Jian realizes that she is hunting for Chenxiang, a long-lost nephew of Yang Jian’s that travels the earth in search of a magical lotus flower that holds the power to free his mother from her prison beneath a mountain. Yang Jian, aware that this could bring catastrophe, as he himself imprisoned Chenxiang’s mother, embarks on a quest to stop his nephew and maintain the balance between the celestial and mortal worlds.
The English version of the film will star David Chen (Belle, What If…?) as the narrator, Nicholas Andrew Louie (Marvel Avengers Academy) as Yang Jian, Alex Hom (Blue Lock) as Mo Lihai, and Luke Naphat (FBI: Most Wanted) as Chenxiang. Additional cast members include Jason Ko (Abominable) as Sun Wukong, Christine Lin (Abominable, Listen Up Phillip), as Wanluo, Risa Mei (Genshin Impact) as Yang Chan, Kamran Nikhad (Heroes of Newerth video game) as Mo Liqing and David Shatraw (Titus) as “Big Ears.”
Yang Jian is the second storyline to take place in the New Gods universe. The previous New Gods film, Nezha Reborn, debuted in China in 2021. Set in the fictional city of Donghai, the film focuses on the journey of a young deliveryman named Li Yunxiang that runs into trouble with the boss of a group called the Dragon Clan. As the film progresses, he eventually realizes his true identity as the reincarnation of the God, Nezha, but circumstances force him to confront the Dragon Clan before fully mastering his celestial powers.
Moviegoers will be able to see New Gods: Yang Jian in U.S. theaters starting Jan. 20. New Gods: Nezha Reborn is currently available on Netflix.
Source: GKIDS
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