LayarHijau – Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force (封神第二部：战火西岐) premiered in Chinese theaters on January 29, 2025, before expanding to several international markets.
Even so, the fantasy epic directed by Wuershan has yet to arrive on major streaming platforms, including Tencent Video, iQIYI, Youku, and Netflix.
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If the film has already completed its theatrical run, why hasn’t it made the jump to streaming?
Neither Beijing Culture nor any streaming platform has publicly explained the delay. However, reports from Chinese media outlets and industry analysts suggest the answer may lie in a combination of timing, controversy, and business negotiations.
The Movie Reached Theaters Before the Controversy Began
One of the most common explanations cited by industry observers comes down to timing.
Creation of the Gods II had already finished production, cleared regulatory review, and secured its theatrical release before controversy involving one of its lead actors erupted. By the time digital distribution became the next step, the circumstances surrounding the film had changed significantly.
Unlike theatrical releases, streaming rights are typically negotiated separately after or near the end of a movie’s theatrical window. As a result, a film can complete its theatrical rollout while its streaming release remains uncertain.
How Did the Na’er Naxi Controversy Start?
Much of the discussion has centered on actress Na’er Naxi, who plays the key character Deng Chanyu.
The controversy began after Na’er Naxi revealed in an interview that she had been admitted to the Shanghai Theatre Academy through a government-funded education program that generally requires graduates to return to their home region after completing their studies.
Her comments prompted online users to revisit her educational background. They questioned how she was able to take China’s National College Entrance Examination, better known as the Gaokao, in Inner Mongolia when reports indicated that she had attended middle and high school in Beijing.
That sparked allegations of “Gaokao migration,” a term used to describe cases in which students allegedly take the exam in another province in hopes of improving their chances of university admission.
However, the official investigation by authorities in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region pointed to a different issue. Investigators said Na’er Naxi had registered for the 2008 Gaokao as a graduate of a high school in Hohhot despite never attending the school or holding official student status there. The investigation subsequently focused on alleged falsification of Gaokao registration documents.
Chinese media outlets and entertainment industry observers have argued that the unresolved controversy may have encouraged streaming platforms to adopt a wait-and-see approach before moving forward with licensing agreements.
Digital Licensing Talks May Have Become More Complicated
Industry analysts also point to the film’s commercial performance.
Although Creation of the Gods II earned more than 1 billion yuan at the box office, many observers believe the result fell short of expectations for a trilogy widely reported to have an enormous production budget.
That may have weakened the studio’s negotiating position. Streaming platforms are believed to be seeking lower licensing fees because of the added business risk, while the studio may be reluctant to sell the rights below what it considers fair market value.
The gap between those positions could be one reason negotiations have taken longer than expected.
Why Not Remove the Actress or Replace Her With AI?
The question has also been widely discussed among Chinese moviegoers. If the controversy centers on one actress, why not simply edit her out or replace her digitally?
So far, neither Beijing Culture nor director Wuershan has announced any plans to re-edit Creation of the Gods II using AI or digital face replacement technology.
Even so, industry observers say such a solution would be far from simple. Na’er Naxi plays one of the film’s central characters, appearing throughout many of its most important scenes. Removing her would likely require significant story changes.
Replacing her digitally would also involve extensive post-production work, especially for a visual effects-heavy film like Creation of the Gods II. Several analysts believe the additional cost could be difficult to justify given the film’s box office performance, although neither the studio nor the filmmakers have publicly confirmed whether financial considerations have played any role.
So Why Isn’t It on Netflix?
Industry observers also note that domestic and international licensing negotiations are often interconnected.
If digital distribution in China remains unresolved, overseas streaming deals can also be delayed. As a result, the film’s absence from Netflix may reflect broader licensing negotiations rather than a decision made by Netflix alone.
As of this writing, neither Beijing Culture nor Netflix has announced a streaming release date for Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force.
Because no official explanation has been provided, the points above should be viewed as industry analysis based on reporting from Chinese business and entertainment media—not as confirmed explanations from Beijing Culture, Wuershan, Netflix, or any other streaming platform.
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