In recent days, the Chinese “film market” community has been buzzing with discussions related to one of the most iconic animated masterpieces of Chinese 3D animation – The Legend of the White Snake. This long-awaited project has reached its 6-year milestone and is now garnering significant attention as it faces the risk of being pulled from the Tencent platform. So, what is the reason behind this?
Specifically, in episode 41 of the latest season 5, a particular scene has led millions of fans to await a shocking cut. According to the pre-release trailer, this is the heated moment between the two characters, Xiao Yan and Mu Zhi Tuan, which officially “takes flight” when brought to the screen. The entire scene is highly intimate, even showcasing “skin-on-skin” contact between the two characters, which has unexpectedly received backlash.
Immediately after episode 41 aired, the wave of dissatisfaction from the audience has surged to unprecedented levels. From being a top-performing series under Tencent, The Legend of the White Snake has received numerous 1-star ratings and its viewer retention rate has plummeted to just 46%. In discussions, many long-time fans expressed their intense disappointment, even claiming that they had waited 6-7 years only to receive such a subpar product.
According to Sina, one of the major reasons for the backlash against The Legend of the White Snake is due to its explicit content. One of the collaborating studios, Wanda Pictures, expressed their disappointment over the lack of expected profits from their investment. Wanda officially withdrew from The Legend of the White Snake, while also claiming that the controversy around the explicit content had caused significant losses. Additionally, some viewers believe that the justification for the cuts was to maintain decency, leading to this sensitive content being removed.
The Legend of the White Snake is a 3D animated series developed primarily by Tencent, adapted from a novel by Tianzi Zhong. The storyline revolves around the main character, Xiao Yan – a talented young man who possesses extraordinary powers, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary. After a series of events, he is left abandoned and isolated, yet the spirit of resilience continues to guide him. Xiao Yan’s journey leads him to discover the source of his lost powers, making efforts to reclaim his rightful place in the world.
Initially launched in 2017, the series has since become a “sensation” across the Chinese-speaking region and even Asia. In 2018, the production team also created a live-action version featuring stars such as Ngô Lợi, Lâm Duẫn, and Lý Thâm, but it did not achieve the same level of success as anticipated.
Source: Sina
