The premiere of "Boonie Bears: Time Twist" in Beijing on Jan. 31 was both dazzling and emotional for those in attendance. The audience, made up of young and old, cheered and waved glow sticks as if they were at a superstar concert before singing a song together to commemorate the franchise's 10 years. Outside the theater, the cinema complex was adorned with elaborate Lunar New Year decorations, and various booths were set up for toys, drinks, and snacks, creating a festive atmosphere reminiscent of a temple fair.

Cast, crew, and cartoon figures pose with the audience for a photo as they celebrate 10 years of "Boonie Bears" at the premiere of "Boonie Bears: Time Twist" in Beijing, Jan. 31, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Fantawild Animation]

The previous "Boonie Bears" films have explored various themes, ranging from a mother's love to environmental protection. This time, the creators decided to delve into the theme of making choices in one's own life. In the film, Vick the logger acts as the film's protagonist and is shown being given the chance to make a pivotal life choice by a crazy scientist at the start of his career. Instead of working in the forest, he decides to become a white-collar worker in a big city for a seemingly better future, but this decision leads to a number of unforeseen and bitter consequences. Despite this, he later realizes the importance of reclaiming his true self and reunites with his animal friends, including the iconic bear siblings Briar and Bramble. He then embarks on an adventure through time and space, battling his dark alter-ego formed by the "time devourer."

"This year's theme revolves around life choices — whether it is choosing the path to success defined by others or pursuing what one truly desires from within," said Shang Linlin, executive president of Fantawild and the general manager of Fantawild Animation. "We want to share this theme with everyone. During the process of growing up, every child may encounter adversity. When such situations arise, how to handle and cope with them becomes a primary concern. Besides intelligence and emotion, parents are now also concerned about cultivating their children's resilience. And we hope this film can inspire that."

This "Boonie Bears" film may even resonate with adults, especially those young adults working hard in urban spaces and offices. Shang expects that the film will take audiences on a soul-searching journey and provoke thoughts about whether their current life is truly what their heart is set on.

Director Lin Huida added that there were many difficulties during the making of the film but that the audience's support and love helped him through. "'Boonie Bears' films are always family entertainment. We made a lot of edits to keep or delete various scenes and rework the plots so as to consider and please both adults and children in their movie-viewing experience. But this is a film filled with what I thought about for years, which could resonate with adults and help children to get a taste of real life and prepare them for adversity in the future."

Creators pose for a photo at the premiere of "Boonie Bears: Time Twist" in Beijing, Jan. 31, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Fantawild Animation]

Over a decade, the ambitious film franchise has grown from a budding concept to a giant tree, evolving from the child-targeted animal-based animation to the action-packed family entertainment it is today, even delving deep into the sci-fi genre. The previous nine theatrical releases grossed more than 5.7 billion yuan in total, reaching an audience of over 200 million. Last year's "Boonie Bears: Guarding Code" alone grossed a stunning 1.49 billion yuan, making it the highest-grossing installment so far. The franchise, including the TV series, has also been exported to more than 130 countries and regions and broadcast on over 300 TV networks and platforms worldwide in several different languages. "Boonie Bears: Time Twist," in some ways, serves as a nostalgic self-tribute, and after three years in the making, is the most adventurous installment of the franchise to date.

Fittingly, the writers decided to bring back all the familiar and iconic characters from over the years. In the spectacular final battle, they all show up on an epic scale, mirroring the endings of Hollywood juggernauts "Ready Player One" or "Avengers: Endgame." Besides paying homage to the diverse range of characters in the vast "Boonie Bear" universe, the film even pays a small tribute to Michael Jackson by showing a character doing a kung fu-style moonwalk to beat the antagonists.

According to Shang, "Boonie Bears: Time Twist" features shots with more than 1,300 visual effects and more than 500 characters. They also adopted and developed many advanced technologies to produce and showcase this eye-popping visual feast. "The director and creative team wracked their brains, hoping to find a way to tell a completely new story in a nostalgic yet innovative way, bringing back classic scenes and characters of the 'Boonie Bears' franchise. We want this film to be a gift to everyone who grew up with us, thanking them for 10 years of companionship. It's a chance to reunite with childhood memories, bid farewell to the past, and embrace and look forward to the future," she said.

Performers dressed as the film's cartoon figures pose with the children for a photo at the premiere of "Boonie Bears: Time Twist" in Beijing, Jan. 31, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Fantawild Animation]

"Boonie Bears: Time Twist" will hit Chinese screens on Feb. 10, the first day of China's Lunar New Year holiday. More than 645,000 users specified they "want to see" it on its dedicated Maoyan page, China's major ticketing platform. 

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