A sequel to China's 2019 science-fiction blockbuster The Wandering Earth is set for release on Chinese Lunar New Year's Day in 2023, according to an announcement on the movie's official social media account.

The Wandering Earth II will see Guo Fan return to the director's chair, with the original novel's Hugo Award-winning author Liu Cixin taking on the executive producer title.

Adapted from the Chinese novel of the same name, The Wandering Earth is set in the future and tells of an audacious attempt to save the Earth as the sun is about to expand into a red giant and devour the planet.

Released on Feb. 5, 2019, it raked in more than 4.68 billion yuan (more than 710 million U.S. dollars) at China's box office.

Widely hailed as a landmark sci-fi movie, it has bolstered passion for the genre among Chinese audiences and across the film industry, boosting confidence in seeing more such outstanding domestic productions.

The Wandering Earth won Guo numerous awards, including the Hundred Flowers Award for best director.

It was re-released in China under the title The Wandering Earth: Beyond 2020 Special Edition on Nov. 26 as an extended edition with 11 minutes of new content.

(中国网英文)