The game "Black Myth: Wukong" has made a significant splash in both domestic and international markets, reigniting interest in the Journey to the West. Against the backdrop of a resurgence in national cultural pride over recent years, the public has developed a richer understanding and imagination of "Journey to the West" and the "Monkey King," making new interpretations of this classic intellectual property a trend.
2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the classic animated film "The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven." As the exclusive licensing operator of the "Uproar in Heaven" IP, Shanghai Film United (Shangying Yuan) has launched a series of commemorative activities since the beginning of 2024, merging emerging technologies, trending events, and innovative visuals in diverse forms.
Shangying Yuan, serving as the central hub for the Shanghai Film Group's full IP development and operation chain, continuously seeks to uncover new potential for this IP within the new era and unique context. Starting in 2023, Shangying Yuan officially launched the "Art Yuan Project," using its rich IP reserves and platform resources to explore artistic innovation from multiple dimensions, constantly innovating operational methods with the changes of the times to ensure the vitality of the IP.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of "The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven," the "Art Yuan Project" introduced a co-created animated short titled "Embracing Passion," crafted by a group of young artists. Additionally, in partnership with the generative AI platform Tiamat, they initiated the "Legend of 'Uproar in Heaven' Over 60 Years—Passionate AI, Radiating New Colors" AI Art Competition, alongside an artistic creation contest in collaboration with Xiaohongshu Movies. These engaging activities and innovative formats have brought "72 Transformations" to the classic IP sixty years later.
The AI Art Competition ignited an exciting summer, with over 3,000 submitted works.
In the short film "Embracing Passion," seven young artists creatively embodied the versatile figure of the Monkey King, integrating elements from basketball, water sports, table tennis, and three other major sports. The film showcases the fusion of athletic spirit and traditional Chinese culture in the new era. During the Olympics, the short film garnered over 200 million views online and cleverly blended traditional cultural art forms with contemporary aesthetics, attracting accolades from numerous prestigious media outlets both domestically and internationally, sparking continuous discussions on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
The animated short "Embracing Passion" showcases the spirit of sports, generating extensive discussions globally.
From May to August this year, a series of events commemorating the 60th anniversary of "The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven" were gradually launched. These included an AI Art Competition and an Art Imagination Contest centered around the theme of "Uproar in Heaven," receiving thousands of graphic and video submissions inspired by the character of the 'Monkey King' Sun Wukong. Advanced AI technology and young, trendy social platforms served as amplifiers for creativity, further closing the gap between passion and artistic creation.
During the events, Shanghai Film United created an "Urban Art Gallery" featuring outstanding works from the AI Art Competition, displayed at key bus stops, cinemas, and commercial complexes in cities like Shanghai and Xi'an. Through various artistic forms and media, the "Art Yuan Project" interprets the understanding and expectations of the new generation of creators regarding the cultural symbol of "Sun Wukong."
In addition to content creation, Shangying Yuan is also exploring new ways to enhance audience experience, as offline immersive experiences offer fresh expressions of classic content.
The Art Imagination Contest features diverse and exciting formats.
In 2024, the Shanghai International Film Festival will hold a special screening of the classic "Uproar in Heaven," allowing audiences to once again appreciate the timeless artistic charm of the "Monkey King" on the big screen. Shanghai Film United, in conjunction with Xiaohongshu Movies, launched the "Monkey King Special Viewing Group," closely integrating viewing with social sharing. The series of commemorative merchandise for the 60th anniversary of "Uproar in Heaven" was premiered during this year's festival, including sand flow acrylic commemorative tickets and reverse film commemorative postcards, which attracted large crowds of fans eager to purchase them, becoming the talk of the festival. The Monkey King collectibles have also made a successful overseas debut— the Wuxiang·Wukong figurine developed in collaboration with Play Wuqi has received a warm welcome abroad.
In August 2024, Shangying Yuan partnered with Rokid to create the "Uproar in Heaven" AR Digital Theme Exhibition, redefining cultural experiences in commercial complexes through deep integration of "IP+AR." With distinctive on-site exhibitions, visitors simply need to wear Rokid AR glasses to escape reality and join the Monkey King in battles within the mythological world of "Uproar in Heaven," experiencing the charm of technology alongside classic animation.
Moreover, Shangying Yuan continues to explore new marketing strategies for the classic IP "Uproar in Heaven": deeply expanding into the "IP+ cultural sports" realm, collaborating with Yuanlong Yatu to launch a themed product series for the "Heavenly Palace Cheerleading Team" that connects with the TEAM CHINA national team.
The themed product series for the "Heavenly Palace Cheerleading Team" in collaboration with TEAM CHINA.
The legendary story of "Uproar in Heaven" over the past sixty years is set to write an even more exciting next chapter. Drawing inspiration from collaborative art, supported by cutting-edge technology, and utilizing diverse marketing and communication strategies, Shangying Yuan is bestowing "Uproar in Heaven" with more culturally and commercially relevant values reflective of contemporary times, expanding the imaginative boundaries of IP development, and opening new avenues for narrating Chinese stories and carrying forward traditional Chinese culture.
