The film did not use the "Monkey King" design that was common in the past. Tian Xiaopeng said that the Monkey King in his mind should be a hero who is not good-looking, but rebellious and chivalrous.
He hopes that the audience can like the character through the thick human nature of Wukong in the film, rather than simply accept it on the surface, and think that this way the character can stand up.
As Tian Xiaopeng's favorite character, "Liu'er" bears the theme of the film, which is persistence. It was this persistence that made him pursue justice without hesitation, and finally released the conscience of Monkey King, helping him restore the power of Monkey King.
The villain in the film is taken from "Chaos" in " Classic of Mountains and Rivers ". Tian Xiaopeng believes that the monsters in "The Journey to the West" are too figurative and too human-like. "Chaos" represents an invisible fear, symbolizing the inner demons lurking in the heart of Monkey King.
