The Wandering Earth II (2023)

On February 5, 2019 — the first day of the Chinese New Year — *The Wandering Earth* was released as a holiday blockbuster. It achieved both critical and commercial success, becoming a milestone in the rise of Chinese science fiction cinema. The film's distinctly Chinese aesthetic and spirit fulfilled the long-standing expectations of domestic audiences for a homegrown sci-fi epic.

As the prequel to *The Wandering Earth*, *The Wandering Earth II* was announced a year in advance to be released during the 2023 Chinese New Year holiday. In addition to the return of the original team including director Guo Fan and actor Wu Jing, the high-profile addition of Li Xuejian and Andy Lau had netizens exclaiming, “Can’t wait!”

*The Wandering Earth II* explores the events that take place before *The Wandering Earth*, expanding the narrative scope and further solidifying the film’s richly developed universe. Characters like Liu Peiqiang, played by Wu Jing, and Tu Hengyu, portrayed by Andy Lau, will showcase deeper emotional layers and unique personal charm, adding greater warmth and humanity to the film.

In the newly released dual character trailers for “Liu Peiqiang” and “Tu Hengyu,” the backstories of Liu Peiqiang, played by Wu Jing, and Tu Hengyu, portrayed by Andy Lau, are officially unveiled for the first time. Liu Peiqiang’s return not only reveals his life before becoming an astronaut, but also highlights his deep attachment to his family and the difficult choices he must make amid the looming crisis.

The new character Tu Hengyu is an engineer who hopes to preserve his daughter’s life eternally within a “digital life world,” but he faces unknown challenges along the way. Both trailers are rich in futuristic technology and visuals, significantly heightening audience anticipation for the film.

Released alongside the two trailers was the “Mirror” poster. Against the backdrop of a red warning signal reflected in a mirror-like surface, Liu Peiqiang and Tu Hengyu appear under the watchful eye of the AI system MOSS, their figures blending into one. In this overlapping imagery, the two fathers—both bound by unbreakable ties to their families—seem to echo each other’s inner resolve, silently united in their determination to protect their loved ones.