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The Wandering Earth II: blockbuster prequel shows how China’s tech progress has bolstered its sci-fi credentials
- The movie raked in more than 3.5 billion yuan at the box office in just 20 days
- Director says success of series is closely linked to China’s technological advances
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The Chinese science fiction film The Wandering Earth – about Chinese heroes saving the planet from an exploding sun – was a smash hit on the Chinese mainland when it was released in 2019, taking over 4.6 billion yuan (US$675 million) at the box office.
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Four years later, The Wandering Earth II, a prequel featuring Hong Kong actor Andy Lau Tak-wah, has been received with similar enthusiasm, raking in more than 3.5 billion yuan in the 20 days after its release.
Its director, Frant Gwo, said its appeal had been bolstered by advances in domestic technology that dovetailed with the national narrative of a stronger and more technologically advanced China.
Chinese audiences said they were proud to see not only an improvement in overall cinematic quality, with spectacular special effects, but also a wide-ranging display of cutting-edge home-grown technologies with real-life applications.
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China’s Shenzhou 15 astronaut crew complete their first spacewalk
China’s Shenzhou 15 astronaut crew complete their first spacewalk
The J-20, China’s most advanced stealth fighter, is instrumental in the film in fending off an attack by opponents of the plan to move the Earth.
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