Spring Festival movie guide 2026

'Blades of the Guardians'

A poster for "Blades of the Guardians." [Photo courtesy of IMAX China]

Four generations of kung fu stars, including Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse, Jet Li, Yu Shi, Max Zhang and Ci Sha, unite under legendary action director Yuen Woo-ping in the wuxia epic "Blades of the Guardians," the only major wuxia blockbuster of the Spring Festival season. Promising a visually breathtaking experience, the film blends the timeless spirit of kung fu heroism with an intense action aesthetic. Based on Xu Xianzhe's comic books, the film follows fugitive Daoma as he escorts the empire's most wanted man across the desert to Chang'an, sparking deadly clashes between rival forces. Yuen, hailed as the world's premier martial arts choreographer with a six-decade career spanning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Matrix," brings his signature action aesthetic to the screen. Key fight scenes were shot practically: actors trained intensively to perform horse chases, combat scenes and weapon battles themselves. Filmed on location in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to capture its raw atmosphere during the Sui dynasty (581-618), the crew endured harsh sun and sandstorms to achieve immersive desert visuals. The IMAX version magnifies the sweeping grandeur of the desert and captures the martial arts aesthetic forged through real fighting, real falls and real riding — enhancing the tension and tactile realism of every action-packed frame with epic, cinematic scope. Releasing on Feb. 17, the film will open simultaneously in China, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.