According to Sina, after premiering on Mango TV on Aug. 31, the series has reached 280 million views.

It is produced and aired on a rolling basis, with episodes released as they are completed, and has reached its fifth episode.

The first episode is free to watch, while the rest can only be viewed by users who have paid the platform.

The 280 million figure only includes views on online platforms.

"Sequel to Journey to the West" has also aired during prime time on Hunan TV, and has the highest ratings among provincial programs aired in the same time slot.

Chinese film media platform Mtime praised the series as a summer sensation, with subsequent episodes scheduled for release during the winter holiday.

This success has driven a sharp surge in the stock prices of the production companies.

Speaking to QQ, director Li Dongkun said the total production budget for the series is approximately US$4 million, or only a 10th of the budget of other mythological films.

The series is planned for 30 episodes, each of 40 minutes length.

Producing and broadcasting at the same time allows the crew to adjust content and characters in response to viewer reactions.

According to Li, a normal three-minute action sequence would require a budget of around $746,000, which has now been reduced to $3,700 due to the use of AI.

A scene from "Sequel to Journey to the West". Photo from Mtime

The film crew has around 100 people, with 30 handling set design and art direction, and 50 utilizing generative AI for video creation, whereas producing it using traditional methods would have required 2,000, he said.

He predicted that within the next three years, 99% of content will utilize AIGC (AI-Generated Content) technology.

Actors would not completely "disappear," but much like theater acting, live-action video may become a less popular aesthetic choice, he said.

"The traditional film and television industry has become far too costly, making change inevitable. Many video platforms lack the capacity to produce or purchase content because they cannot shoulder the costs; AIGC offers a viable solution."

"Sequel to Journey to the West" adapts a novel originating from the late Ming and early Qing dynasty periods, whose author has yet to be identified.

It is one of three famous books succeeding the mythological novel "Journey to the West", which narrates the story of the monk Tang Sanzang as he journeys west to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures in India.

He is accompanied by three powerful disciples: Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), Zhu Bajie (Piggy) and Sha Wujing (Sandy), assigned to protect him in exchange for enlightenment and forgiveness for their sins.

Characters in "Sequel to Journey to the West". Photo from Mango TV

The premise of the sequel takes place 1,000 years after Sun Wukong is deified, when 10 elders at the Flowers and Fruit Mountain are turned into stone.

Following 49 days of strange phenomena, a stone monkey named Sun Xiaosheng suddenly emerges from the peak of the immortal mountain.

After establishing his name by quelling revolts, Sun Xiaosheng's renown spreads across the three realms -- the Heavenly Realm, the Human Realm, and the Demon Realm.

During a celebration banquet, Sun Xiaosheng inadvertently stumbles into a quest to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the 10 elders.

According to an assessment by CICC (China International Capital Corporation), in the long run, AI will improve the return on investment.

On the other hand, actors and backstage crew members are worried about losing their jobs in the era of artificial intelligence.

At recent events, many have openly voiced concerns over a lack of work.

According to iNews Week, in the first quarter of 2026, the number of short-drama productions launched at Hengdian World Studios, China's largest film studio, dropped by 75% compared to the same period last year.