The Wandering Earth 2 is a forthcoming movie and the sequel to the Chinese science fiction movie “The Wandering Earth” which was released in 2019. The movie was helmed by Frant Gwo partially based on a novel of the exact title published in 2000. 

The movie takes place in the distant future, it revolves around a company of astronauts and rescue helpers navigating the planet Earth elsewhere from an intensifying sun, while trying to avoid a clash with Jupiter. The movie premiered theatrically on February 5, 2019, on Chinese New Year’s Day in China. 

The Wandering Earth became the fourth highest-grossing movie in mainland China that collected over $690 million. Following the massive success of the first film, it’s no surprise that a sequel is on the horizon. It was reported on a popular Chinese site that the sequel is to begin filming in October 2021. However, there are no recent updates as of now. 

While fans are eager to know about the status of the sequel, we already know that the sequel is very much in development. Here’s what we know about The Wandering Earth 2 release date, cast and more.

The Wandering Earth 2 Release Date: When is it? 

Director Fan Guo (or Frant Gwo) officially announced that he was planning on the sequel back in 2019. The much-anticipated movie The Wandering Earth 2 is currently scheduled to release on Chinese New Year’s Day on January 22, 2023, as is the original movie.

The Cast of The Wandering Earth 2: Who Will Be In It?

The major characters that appeared in the first movie are highly expected to return but keep in mind that the characters that were killed off or died will no longer make a return but we will probably get to see them if there’s a flashback sequence. 

Therefore, Wu Jing who played Liu Peiquang won’t be returning as he sacrificed himself in the original movie and that’s what the fans originally thought however, it was revealed that Wu will be indeed returning in the sequel, which leads to confusion among many netizens as they marvel how the writers and the director will bring back the dead character in the upcoming movie.

It’s also confirmed that a popular Hong Kong actor Andy Lau is cast in the sequel but so far his role remains a secret.

Frant Gwo, the director who previously helmed the previous movie is onboard once again to helm the sequel. 

It’s not known if there will be more new characters since the filmmakers are yet to provide an update. But we expect to see additional characters other than the aforementioned two actors.

The Wandering Earth 2 Plot: What To Expect From The Story? 

The exact plot details for the sequel are scarce but fans have high expectations for this movie. Hopefully, the sequel manages to surpass the first movie. 

Although there is not much info, the synopsis indicates that the upcoming movie is still based on the Earth’s getting away from the perishing sun.

The synopsis reads: “Young people in the Wandering Earth Age throw themselves into the breach again and devote themselves to fighting for life.”

The information appears from a picture of the movie’s shooting site uploaded on social media by Taipiaopiao.

Shi, a film critic from Beijing, told Global Times that, “In terms of special effects, they must continue to improve. Audiences have higher standards for visual effects now. The second film should pay more attention to every detail when it comes to special effects.”

Shi also brought up that deeming the improvement and global prominence of China’s space program, the upcoming sequel should concentrate more on science and significance, including the civilization of humans, humanistic values and ecological fate.

We’ll update this post over time with newer information regarding The Wandering Earth 2. Stay tuned!