Cineverse, the streaming and content distribution company previously known as Cinedigm, has acquired North American rights to the Chinese animated fantasyfilm “Warrior King.” Inspired by the legend of the hero and warrior, King Gesar, the film is directed by Lu Qi from a screenplay by Lu Wunan and Wang Yunsheng. Cineverse says that it will release the film in U.S. theaters Aug. 25, following its international theatrical debut.
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.
Gesar is said to have been born to a divine lineage and was destined to become a great 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 fulfil his destiny.
Lu’s visual inspiration for the film is said to be Thangka, a Tibetan Buddhist scroll painting. “Epic films are meant to be experienced on the big screen,”said Yolanda Macias, chief content officer of Cinedigm“ ’Warrior King’ invites fans of fantasy animation to embark on a captivating co-viewing experience showcasing the extraordinary strength, intelligence and courage of King Gesar, the qualities that define a true warrior.”
Cineverse’s library comprises more than 60,000 film and TV titles and the company operates multiple ad-supported and subscription-based streaming services across multiple entertainment genres including anime, Asian entertainment, faith and family, horror and indie film. The flagship Cineverse streaming service includes more than 22,000 titles. The company also operates a podcast network with 28 titles and is a streaming technology provider through its Matchpoint platform.
Watch the U.S. trailer here: https://www.youtube/watch?v=cOLubPkIQww
