With the passing of time, the generational legacy of Black Myth: Wukong is ready to be reexamined. A product of ancient histories and the Chinese classics, the history of the Sun Wukong or Monkey King needs to be brought front and center too. And who better to do so than Jackie Chan himself?
Jackie Chan (R) in The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) [Credit: Lionsgate Films]
The Hong Kong martial arts star has been in the industry long enough to be revered as a mythical god-like figure. However, one of the many injustices of Hollywood is that the actor was merely reduced to a supporting character in an animated movie and for a negligible scope of screen time.
With the rise in the success of Black Myth: Wukong, it is finally time that DreamWorks studio reanalyzed its standing and gave Jackie Chan and his reimagined avatar of Sun Wukong in Master Monkey a fully sanctioned spin-off movie or series.
The Powerful Legacy of Black Myth: Wukong
Mythology and way of life have always been interconnected with each other. If not for the vast wisdom of the classics encompassed within the pages, it is the sheer scope of these stories that have been carried down through hundreds of years. Black Myth: Wukong is a part of that generational legacy.
Sun Wukong in Black Myth: Wukong [Credit: Game Science]
Today, Black Myth: Wukong stands as a modern-day reenactment of the 16th-century Ming dynasty Chinese classic, Journey to the West. One of the aspects of these great classical mythologies is contained in the story of Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King. Constructed as one of the most powerful figures ever to rise out of relative obscurity and embed itself in popular culture, the Monkey King is an immortal example of the power and relevance of mythology even in an era of rapid change.
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The steadfastness with which the lore of Sun Wukong has stood its ground, untarnished by the modern era of instant news and countless new forms and genres of artistic expression, should be repaid in kind. After all, it is only right that an actor who is similarly grand in his standing, a pillar of the modern movie business who is celebrated around the world, should be embodying the great Monkey King in live-action.
Jackie Chan Should Get the Go-Ahead for a Spin-off
With the success of Black Myth: Wukong rising and the Sun Wukong along with it, the entertainment sector has come to faux blows over one character that has become just as equally beloved as Sun Wukong and his legacy. Over the past decade, Kung Fu Panda has somewhat entrenched itself into our way of life.
Master Monkey in Kung Fu Panda [Credit: DreamWorks Pictures]
The beloved cinematic franchise has not only been the source of great entertainment but also the proof of art surviving against technology. In an era dominated by new-age superheroes and space-time multiversal adventures, the influence that Kung Fu Panda has had on the audience is groundbreaking. The story, based on elements borrowed from Chinese classics and mythology, Kung Fu Panda rightly spreads its wings to build a franchise out of its original premise.
However, after the lackluster performance of the fourth film released recently, it is clear that one’s imagination can only stretch so far before it starts to seem unoriginal. Instead of retelling the story of the titular Panda, it is time for the studios to fall in line with the next best step forward – a spin-off based on the members of the Furious Five.
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Given, the dramatic increase in popularity of the Black Myth: Wukong video game series, and its inherent connection with Sun Wukong, it is the perfect time to have Jackie Chan reprise his role as Master Monkey in his very own spin-off series or movie. After all, having the esteemed legend play a side character with negligible screen time is an offense in and of itself.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is now streaming on Peacock.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
