LONDON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The second installment of China's blockbuster mythological trilogy, "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force," opened Friday in theaters across Britain, coinciding with Chinese New Year celebrations.

The highly anticipated film, released by CMC Pictures, is available in Mandarin with English subtitles. It also debuted on Friday in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

After attending the London premiere on Thursday, Adam Morley, creative sector lead of Hertfordshire Futures, a business-led partnership organization, told Xinhua that he was "blown away" by the "masterful and beautiful" film and its scale.

He said he "didn't want it to end" when the film was over, praising its seamless blend of visual effects, special effects, live action, stunts, virtual production, and compelling storytelling.

Morley also emphasized the film's significance for the global screen industry, noting that large fantasy epics have been rare in recent years. He said the success of a Chinese film of this budget and scale could inspire filmmakers worldwide.

Based on the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel "Fengshen Yanyi (The Investiture of the Gods)", the trilogy depicts the fall of the Shang Dynasty and the rise of the Zhou Dynasty in the 11th century B.C., weaving together battles between mortals, deities, and demons.

The first installment "Creation of The Gods I: Kingdom of Storms," grossed over 370 million U.S. dollars worldwide and won Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography at the 36th Golden Rooster Awards in China in 2023. Released in Britain the same year, it received widespread praise, particularly from the Chinese community.

At the London premiere, director Wuershan explained via video link the symbolism behind the character Yin Jiao's three-headed, six-armed design in the second film, highlighting how each head reflects a different emotion shaped by his experiences.

"I hope that audiences outside of China can appreciate the imagination of the Chinese people while also understanding a character whose emotions follow a logic we can all relate to," said Wuershan, adding that Yin Jiao's striking appearance, rooted in Chinese mythology, vividly expresses his emotional conflicts.

For those unfamiliar with Chinese mythology, Creation of the Gods has been an eye-opening experience. Morley recalled that after watching the first installment, he began searching the story's background online, describing the experience as "falling into a rabbit hole of myth and legend."

"I think it's a wonderful opportunity for us to become familiar with new themes and stories from China," he said, adding that "as a nation, as a distributor and a production company, (people) should be very proud of this achievement."

The trilogy stars renowned actors such as Kris Phillips (known in China as Fei Xiang) and Huang Bo, alongside rising young stars like Yu Shi and actress Naran. Enditem

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