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Wish Dragon is a 2021 computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed by Netflix. It was written and directed by Chris Appelhans with Aron Warner, Chris Bremble and Jackie Chan (who voices characters in the Mandarin release of the film[1]) serving as producers. The story is a "genie-in-a-bottle" retelling set in contemporary China.[2]

The film was released on January 15, 2021 by Sony Pictures Releasing in China, April 2, 2021 in the Netherlands, and was released on Netflix internationally on June 11, 2021.

Plot[]

Din is a working-class college student who dreams to reunite with his childhood friend Li Na, who moved years ago from his neighborhood with her father, Mr. Wang, and now lives a lavish life. One day, he is given a teapot by an elderly man; from it emerges a dragon named Long, whose job as a wish dragon is to grant three wishes to whoever holds the teapot. Long also reveals that every wish dragon must serve ten masters in order to enter the Spirit world, and that Din is his 10th master. Din is then subsequently chased off by a trio of goons, led by a man named Pockets, who were sent by Mr. Wang to recover the teapot in hopes of saving his failing business. Din uses his first wish to fight the goons and escape.

The next day, Din and Long make it to Li Na's birthday party, and Din wishes to temporarily appear as a wealthy princeling, hoping Li Na will notice him and rekindle their friendship, much to Long's disappointment of Din's shortsightedness. Li Na is disappointed when she realizes her father will not come to her party. Din, keeping up with his wealthy cover-up, comforts her and are asked by Mr. Wang (through a video call) to share a meal together. Long warns Din that Li Na would leave him as soon as she finds out his identity because of their different economic statuses.

At the date, Din asks Long for advice on how to act accordingly to his new status but ends up upsetting Li Na in the process. They end up in Din's neighborhood after the goons intercept them again. Din reveals himself to Li Na and they spend the rest of the day in the neighborhood, reliving their childhood pastimes. However, Li Na retreats claiming that she has responsibilities and expectations she needs to meet, hurting Din. Later that night, Din angrily asks Long to make him truly rich this time in a last-ditch effort to be respected. Long reveals to Din that in life he was a wealthy and powerful lord whose reign ended in loneliness and tragedy and was punished to become a wishing dragon. He also reveals that his time as a wishing dragon was meant to serve as a means to understand the meaning of life and has failed to accomplish that with all of his previous masters before he met Din.

After tracking down Din, Pockets betrays Mr. Wang by taking the teapot for himself and commands the wish dragon to give him a left hand of living gold that turns everything it touches to gold. He then kicks Mr. Wang off of some scaffolding, mortally wounding him in front of Li Na. Din chases the goons, and eventually ends up fighting Pockets on Long's back while flying in the sky. Pockets corners Din and prepares to hit him with his golden hand, but Long puts himself in the way, causing him to turn to gold. Din unleashes a savage kick to Pockets which causes him to touch himself and also turn into a gold statue. Long's golden form plummets from the sky into the river below and Pockets shatters to pieces against a bridge as he falls. Din, unfortunately is unable to stop Long's statue from sinking to the bottom of a river.

Long finds his human self at the entrance to the Spirit world. Despite being tempted to go through the gates, he pleads with the guardian of the gate to return to Din because he has not used his third wish. The guardian agrees, on one condition, and Din uses his last wish to bring Mr. Wang back to life, and Long disappears.

Sometime later, Mr. Wang starts a restaurant with Din's mother. Din, now working at the restaurant, finds a teapot like the one Long resided in and releases him. Long tells Din that the condition for his return to Earth was to stay and serve ten more masters. Din places the teapot on a carriage driven by an elderly man, who is actually the guardian of the gate to the Spirit world.

Cast[]

  • John Cho as Long
    • Jackie Chan[3] as Long (Mandarin)
  • Jimmy Wong[3] as Din Song
    • Ian Chen as Young Din
  • Natasha Liu Bordizzo[3] as Li Na Wang
    • Alyssa Abiera as Young Li Na
  • Constance Wu[3] as Mrs. Song
  • Will Yun Lee as Mr. Wang
  • Jimmy O. Yang as Short Goon, Security Guard 2
  • Bobby Lee[3] as Diao
  • Aaron Yoo as Pockets
  • Ronny Chieng as Pipa God
  • Nico Santos as Buckley
  • Gabriel Lee as Wei, DJ, K-Drama Man
  • Sumalee Montano as Granny Neighbor, Cougar, Party Guest
  • Philip Wang as Red Shirt Neighbor, Valet
  • Kristina Wong as Teacher, Dance Partner
  • David So as Construction Worker, Neighbor
  • Jennifer Ray as Sassy Neighbor, Yam Vendor, K-Drama Women
  • Nicole Bloom as Mousy Neighbor
  • Gustav Lindquist as Security Guard 1 & 3, School Bully
  • Rad Sechrist as Maitre D', Additional Waiter
  • Chris Appelhans as Hot Towel Waiter, Nomani Retailer

Development[]

In April 2018, Wish Dragon was announced to be the first film produced by Base Animation, a new animation studio that is part of the VFX firm Base FX. Their goal of the film and the Base Animation studio is to "make world class animation in China for China… and the world". Director Chris Appelhans wanted the film made in China, with a strong Mainland China creative team, an international cast of talent, and a focus on the hopes and dreams of contemporary China. The film also had a set release of July 26, 2019.[1] In June 2019, it was confirmed that the film was delayed to 2020.[2] In October 2020, it was confirmed by Rad Sechrist (who served as head of story on the film) that the film would instead be released in 2021.[3]

Production[]

Wish Dragon is the first Sony Pictures Animation film to be produced by Base Animation, a new animation studio that is part of the VFX firm Base FX and also the first to feature visual effects and animation provided by Industrial Light & Magic. The goal of the film and the Base Animation studio is to "make world class animation in China for China… and the world". Director Chris Appelhans "wanted the film made in China, with a strong Mainland China creative team, an international cast of talent, and a focus on the hopes and dreams of contemporary China." The film is Appelhans' directorial debut.

Music[]

  • "Endless Sky" by Weilim Lin, Kenton Chen and Katherine Ho
  • "Free Smiles" by Tia Ray
  • "Bu Liao Qing (Love Without End)" by Koo Mei

Release[]

Wish Dragon was originally scheduled to be released on July 26, 2019, but at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival it was confirmed that it was delayed to 2020. In October, it was confirmed by Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts' creator Radford Sechrist (who served as head of story on the film) that the film would instead be released in 2021. The film was released in China on January 15, 2021.

The film was released on Netflix on June 11, 2021, as part of its summer slate.

Reception[]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 65% based on 23 reviews with an average rating of 6.20/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Although its juvenile humor may test some viewers' patience, Wish Dragon is a colorful and quirky romp that will warm audience's hearts." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100 based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Trivia[]

  • It is Sony Pictures Animation's first film to not receive a release on home media.
  • It is the third animated film to have its MPA rating confirmed before the first trailer after Wonder Park (2019) and Abominable (2019).
  • This is the fourth and last film not to have the Columbia Pictures logo at the beginning possibly due to only distributing the film and not involved with the production with the other three being The Star, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation and The Angry Birds Movie 2.
  • Sony Animation's second Chinese feature film.
  • It is Sony Pictures Animation's second theatrically-produced film not to have a domestic theatrical release after The Mitchells vs. the Machines and before Vivo.
  • With Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (which Sony Pictures Animation was not involved with) being released in theaters on same day as the domestic release of this film, this marks the first time that two Columbia Pictures films are released on the same day.
  • Din and Li Na being sent out of their classrooms because of drawing dragons, is similar to the childhood of Dav Pilkey, when he made comics, which weren’t part of the lesson.
  • It is SPA's last film to feature the Columbia Pictures print logo at the end until Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, as the studio's next two films, Vivo and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, feature the Sony Pictures print logo instead.

Videos[]

Gallery[]

Sony Pictures Animation Logo 2018
Sony Pictures Animation Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Wish Dragon.

References[]

  1. "Jackie Chan, China’s BaseFX Making ‘Wish Dragon’ for Sony Animation", Variety, Patrick Frater, April 23, 2018
  2. "Sony Pictures Animation To Release ‘Wish Dragon’", Cartoon Brew, Amid Amidi, April 18, 2018
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Cast list as per April 23, 2018 Variety article
v - e - d
Wish Dragon logo
Media
Films: Wish Dragon
Characters
Din SongLongLi Na WangMrs. SongPocketsMr. WangPipa God
Songs
Endless SkyFree Smiles
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