Netflix’s Journey to the West-inspired animated film has debuted its first official trailer.
Via Netflix’s YouTube Channel, The Monkey King sees its titular character journey alongside Lin and Stick in an action-packed adventure to defeat 100 demons and ascend to heaven. Shunned from a young age, the trailer’s opening line addressing Monkey King as “the bravest, most epic, most spectacul-errifc, amazing-derful” speaks to the movie’s narrative arc of overcoming ego to become a hero, and draws similarities to the hero of Chinese lore, Sun Wukong.
Netflix’s official synopsis reads: “Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, THE MONKEY KING is an action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic Monkey (Jimmy O. Yang) and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all —his own ego!”
The Monkey King Brings a Legend to Netflix
Reunited with director Anthony Stacchi, The Monkey King sees the collaboration of writers Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman, who all worked together on 2006’s Open Season. Setting out to join the Immortal Ones, the crowning of a new unlikely hero may draw inspiration from Chicken Little, which Bencich and Friedman also have writer credits on. Stick, named by Monkey King as his “trusty companion,” may not stretch to the heavens like Sun Wukong’s Ruyi Jingu Bang, but has been shown to fly and have its own personality, convincing him to let Lin join their journey.
The Monkey King follows the critically-acclaimed Nimona and Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie as Netflix’s additions to animation this year. Its release coincides with what has been described as a possibly transformative period for animation. While Netflix is unavailable in China, the region has proved receptive to recent animated titles such as Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and Pixar’s Elemental.
Alongside Yang, The Monkey King stars Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Lin, James Sie (Elder Monkey), Bowen Yang (Dragon King), Stephanie Hsu (Mayor’s Wife), Hoon Lee (Jade Emperor), BD Wong (Buddha), Andrew Pang and others. The Monkey King‘s production team comprises individuals that have worked on notable titles, such as Mulan, Kung Fu Panda 3, Hercules, How to Train Your Dragon, and Shaolin Soccer.
The Monkey King will be available to stream via Netflix on August 18, 2023.
Source: YouTube