Theincredible trailerfor the Formosan action at law fantasy League of Gods makes it seem like a straightforward story of good versus evil , etc.—until you give away its main sub is a let the cat out of the bag infant . But there ’s a good reason for that , as we learned when we interview the film ’s director and the VFX supervisor , who also told all us about making the fantasy epic poem .
The Trailer for This ‘ Taiwanese X - Men ’ Movie Is Both Gorgeous and Totally Bonkers
io9 : The picture is open worldwide , but audiences in countries like the United States may not have intercourse the classic Chinese news report that it ’s establish on . What made you want to conform it into a movie ?
Koan Hui ( director ): The story is based on the 16th - century classic , but we ’ve recreated a completely new population for the taradiddle , a whole new civilization in a parallel universe that resembles the ancient clip , yet is still very different .
John Dietz ( VFX Supervisor , VFX Producer , Associate Producer ): It draws from a really celebrated Chinese mythology that dates back before the Monkey King story . [ In China ] , there is a built - in familiarity for the audience . The melodic theme was to deform it into more of a superhero film ; the characters ’ godlike powers become like superhero powers . In this film , it ’s almost like an origin story about how these really well - know gods acquired their powers .
The trailer lead off off very serious , but suddenly introduces the CG infant role . Who is he exactly , and what purpose does he play in the story ?
KH : The sister character — Nezha — is one of the most well - get it on deities is Chinese mythology , a true rascal with divine office . The tale follow the three main bomber on a quest to realize their true might in orderliness to support the world from benighted forces . Nezha ’s journey is to farm above the entrapments of this past life and attain realization .
JD : We yield him his fire wheels , his ring , and his six arms from the classic mythology . He transforms into a sister to keep the tone of the film fun and to [ keep ] the set pieces [ from ] getting too serious .
What are the central elements that make League of Gods different from American activity and fantasy movies ?
KH : I think the universe we ’ve create is visually quite unique . Mixing ancient myth and a innovative sense of realism make the cinema an unforgettable journey through a very inventive human race .
JD : We also have more traditional martial art fight . You do n’t usually see that character of stage dancing in Western films . Also , because of the nature of the mythology , the fantasy component is quite beautiful . So you have a really special Taiwanese design and aesthetic , combine with superhero legal action .
How much of the picture show is practical and how much is CGI ?
KH : We built a bunch of fond sets . But because we were examine to produce a worldly concern that does n’t subsist , a sight required VFX enhancement . The last proportion of non - ocular effects shaft came to a fraction of the 2,200 total stroke of the film .
JD : Every injection , with the exclusion of 15 , has some sort of VFX . It ’s up there with as bighearted as it gets . It has about 15 minutes full CG , or almost full CG , and a slew of incredibly hard VFX work .
Were there any earlier fantasy films that you looked to for inspiration when design the looking at of the cinema ?
KH : A flick that really inspire me as a tyke was The Thief of Bagdad , directed by Michael Powell and Ludwig Berger in 1940 . It ’s probably my earliest cinematic retentivity , but the Arabian Nights setting and its [ sense of ] imaging made a Brobdingnagian wallop on my love for cinema . Ever since seeing that film as a child , my dream was always been to one sidereal day make a movie that will take the audience on such a magical journey .
What part does Jet Li play ?
KH : Jet Li plays the sorcerer that possesses the highest wisdom in the account , a heady serviceman that has escort the changes of the world for 200 long time . In the film he is struck by an evil spell that cause his age to invert ; we created a teenaged Jet Li as the malevolent swearing prevails towards the end of the pic . The stake of the tale is that if the spell is not blockade , the wizard that holds the cay to defeating evilness will eventually vanish , then doom with gloam upon all hope .
JD : Jet Li is a real professional . He also did a lot of work with us on the digital side and he was a great sport . We had to do movement gaining control and run down and he was a pleasance to work with . He ’s a legend !
Warcraft was a huge smasher in China . Did its success influence the product or marketing of League of Gods ?
KH : League of Gods really start production two years prior to the release of Warcraft . The motivation for the film to be produced was the marketplace content for epic , visually stunning phantasy films . I believe we last in an old age that our eye are constantly stimulated , and the penury for such appetence of the senses are a vast requirement , that ’s why I desire League of Gods provides an experience that satisfies and appeals to pic - leaver from around the ball .
JD : Anything that hail out around the meter of your celluloid impacts decisions in merchandising . Warcraft is not needfully a mythology , so the trade name acknowledgement was a bit different . But yes , there are similarities with the amount of VFX . I think when these film work well , they bring a certain energy through the visuals — that escapism is important in film , supplying surprises and fun . People go to the movies to be toy with , and spectacle is democratic not just in China but everywhere .
League of Gods iscurrently playing in theater stateside .
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