A24 and CMC Pictures are teaming up to re-release Yu Yang’s Ne Zha 2 following its blockbuster Chinese New Year rollout back in January. The trades have also confirmed that Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once) will play a lead voice role.
“I’m honored to be part of Ne Zha 2, a landmark in Chinese animation and a powerful reminder of how universal our stories can be,” Yeoh said in a statement. “Sharing this with audiences in English is such a joy, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, heart, spectacular artistry, and magic of this film on the big screen.”
A successor to 2019’s Ne Zha, the film takes its cues from 16th-century novel “Investiture of the Gods.” It follows a mythological demigod – a young boy who finds himself reckoning with his own godly powers, and faced with an ancient force of evil in a battle that will determine if he’s mankind’s savior, or the very entity the gods themselves have feared.
The film also marks A24’s debut venture into a fully-animated feature.
After the heavenly lightning, although Ne Zha and Ao Bing survived by becoming Spirits, they would soon dissipate completely. Taiyi plans to rebuild Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s mortal bodies with the Seven-colored Precious Lotus. However, during the process of reconstruction, numerous obstacles arise. What will become of the fate of Ne Zha and Ao Bing?
A24 and CMC will release Ne Zha 2 in theaters, IMAX, 3D and other premium formats on August 22 in North America, Australia and New Zealand.
