Dream retold for the silver screen

Myth-making continuity

Wuershan studied oil painting at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, before graduating from the directing department of the Beijing Film Academy. Despite not being a prolific director — he had only three feature-length movies under his belt prior to the Creation of the Gods franchise — he is renowned for his unique aesthetics and cinematic language.

Explaining his interest in shooting the trilogy, the director says: "Since I was young, I have been passionate about Chinese history, mythology and traditional art. After delving into a comprehensive study of Chinese and global art history, I have found that there are certain elements of aesthetics that remain consistent throughout the evolution of a nation. Mythological epic films, to some extent, serve as a medium to reflect this continuity."

Currently, all the scenes of the trilogy have wrapped up their final shooting, and the two sequels are in post-production.

The director — who is also helming two other projects, including one about the legendary Ming Dynasty mariner Zheng He — says that he hopes audiences will accept his adaptation and be willing to follow how characters' destinies unfold over the next two installments.

During the interview, the director referenced the famous quote by the American writer Joseph Campbell, stating that "myths are public dreams". However, it appears that the director's aspiration to pursue his personal dream probably depends on the market's response.