A rich and enchanting world born out of Asian lore is heading to U.S. theaters this month in the CG-animated fantasy epic Warrior King. Based on the millennium-old tale of King Gesar, the Chinese-produced film from director Lu Qi opens August 25 through Cineverse (rated PG-13).
Following last month’s announcement and debut of the official U.S. trailer (find it here), Animation Magazine is pleased to debut a collection of exclusive stills from the film, showcasing the divine and devilish characters Gesar encounters throughout a world rife with magic and peril.
All images courtesy of Cineverse.
Warrior King is based on the story of King Gesar; born to a divine lineage and destined to become a great hero and ruler. As a young man, the future king grew up exiled in a realm overrun by menacing demons and monsters. When evil forces threaten his home, he embarks on a heroic journey to save his people and fulfill his destiny as a legendary leader.
The story of Gesar is considered one of Central Asia’s literary classics and was passed down in oral tradition for some 1,000 years, as well as literary, poetic and stage play versions. Its Tibetan iteration may now be the most prominent — it is certainly one of the longest, running to over 100 volumes and a million verses, according to some calculations.
