"New Legend of Madame White Snake" actors Cecilia Yip and Angie Chiu, with "White Snake: Afloat" theme song singers Chen Haoyu and Chen Lijun, pose in front of a giant screen on the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, July 30, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Light Chaser Animation Studios]

One of the most anticipated summer film releases, White Snake: Afloat, the final installment of Light Chaser Animation's White Snake trilogy, is scheduled to open on Qixi Festival, Chinese Valentine's Day, which falls on Aug 10.

Set hundreds of years from the conclusion of the first film, which was released in 2019, the new movie creatively revisits the central storyline of the folkloric tale about a snake demon who turns into a beautiful woman to marry the man with whom she has fallen in love.

Originating in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the romantic tale took its current shape in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) writer Feng Menglong's Jing Shi Tong Yan (Stories to Caution the World), and became popular during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is regarded as one of China's four great folkloric tales.

During the film's recent premiere in Beijing, director Li Jiakai said that the new movie is akin to a journey back to the origins of the story.

In addition to Bai Niangzi (Miss Bai), the snake demon, and Xu Xian, the young man, the final installment also includes the Buddhist monk, Fahai, who attempts to separate the couple out of a stubborn belief that demons should not live with humans.

Following its two-day nationwide preview screening on Aug 3 and 4, the film generated online excitement with several hashtags — highlighting its Chinese aesthetics and animation techniques — becoming trending topics on the country's popular social platforms.

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