Popular French animated superhero film debuts in China

The highly anticipated animated feature "Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie," based on the popular French TV animation franchise, has opened in China.

Chinese collaborators on "Ladybug & Cat

Noir: The Movie" pose for a photo on stage at the film's premiere in Beijing, Aug. 16, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Fantawild Animation]

The film, also titled "Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie," was directed by Jeremy Zag and depicts the extraordinary life of Marinette, an otherwise ordinary teenager in Paris who becomes the superhero Ladybug, gaining superhuman abilities. Endowed with the power of creation, Ladybug must join forces with her counterpart, Cat Noir, to protect Paris from a new villain who seeks to unleash chaos upon the city.

After years of development, the creators said that by having a female teenager as the lead heroine, they aimed to establish a franchise that differs from other superhero films, which primarily target males. The first season of the CGI show, on which the movie is based, premiered worldwide in the fall of 2015 and has gained immense popularity since then, being broadcast in over 120 countries and regions. In 2021, it first came to China and garnered a significant fanbase, accumulating over 1 billion views.

Incorporating a wide range of vivid and engaging themes that span youth development, coming of age, love, and responsibility, "Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie" is not only a superhero film.

"Traditionally, animated works targeting young girls often revolved around magical princesses or extraordinary female heroes with special lineage,” noted Shang Linlin, a veteran animation producer and executive president of Fantawild and the general manager of Fantawild Animation, which holds and operates the rights to "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir" in China. Shang further explained, "however, these characters seemed distant from our reality. In real life, numerous ordinary girls, much like Marinette in the movie, don't have noble bloodlines or magical abilities. Yet, they can build their own confidence bit by bit and gradually become brave, becoming their own heroes. That's why we initially chose to introduce the franchise."

"Marinette shows us that ordinary girls can also become superheroes. We hope to awaken the courage to pursue dreams within every ordinary girl," she added.

More than 100 cosplayers dressed as the leading characters Ladybug and Cat Noir at the premiere of "Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie" in Beijing, Aug. 16, 2023. [Photo courtesy of Fantawild Animation]

During the premiere held in Beijing on Aug. 16, over 100 cosplayers dressed as the lead characters Ladybug and Cat Noir attended the event. Dedicated fans even flied from Hong Kong to be a part of this occasion. Advanced screenings were also held in nine other cities and received rave reviews. The film officially hit theaters across China starting from Aug. 18.