It took eight years and $10 million to complete "Monkey King: Hero Is Back." But it took only less than a week for the Chinese animated movie to rocket past the 200 million-yuan (approximately $32.2 million) box office mark.

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This feat is by far the fastest record set by a local animated film, according to China Entertainment News. The movie adaptation was said to have stirred enthusiasm in a huge number of moviegoers that resulted in the massive ticket sales within days.

The interest in Monkey King was so intense that celebrities and fans alike took to Weibo their emotional impression of the film. One social media user could not contain his or her pride, thus stated, "The film sets a new high-bar for the domestic animation film, when I walked out of the theater, I was crying."

Monkey King is based on popular Chinese mythology but tells an entirely different tale. Veering from the traditional features of the Monkey King, the main character in the movie is given the personality of a human being and the nature of Buddha and a demon rolled in one.

"'Monkey King: Hero is Back' is based on the household legend of the Monkey King but tells a not-so familiar story. However, it's still a Chinese-style heroic legend and an exciting adventure against evil and darkness in troubled times," producer Lu Wei declared.

While the treatment is reportedly patterned after Hollywood animation that appeals mostly to children, the story's bold and creative approach strikes an emotional chord with audience of every age. Significant touch of Chinese artistry on the character and background design is said to be a "bright spot" of the movie.

Initially, the movie was tagged as the "dark horse" among the big screen offerings this summer with revenue lower than expected on its opening date. It soon picked up its pace and topped daily charts. In fact, China's movie-review site MTime gave Monkey King an 8.5 out of 10 rating.

"Monkey King is China's superhero. It's so popular among Chinese audience because they long for and cherish our own superhero," director Tian Xiaopeng proudly stated.

TagsMonkey King, Chinese animation, Chinese legend, Chinese mythology