Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings follows the Tang dynasty detective as he investigates a wave of strange events in the city of Loyang. Mysterious warriors in masks are committing crimes, foxes have begun speaking with human voices, and the dragon sculptures in the imperial palace appear to come to life. At the same time, Dee faces accusations from the Empress Wu Zetian, his most formidable opponent, whose suspicions of him complicate the case. A powerful artifact granted to Dee by the Emperor becomes the focus of a struggle at court, and Dee must defend himself while uncovering a conspiracy behind the disturbances.

Tsui Hark directed this twenty-seventh film of the thirty-one he has made, following Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back and preceding The Battle at Lake Changjin. Chang Chia-lu wrote the screenplay, and Kuo-Fu Chen and Shi Nansun produced. Mark Chao plays Detective Dee, with William Feng, Carina Lau, Lin Gengxin, Ma Sichun and Ethan Juan in supporting roles. The film was released in 2018 and runs 132 minutes.

Made in Hong Kong and China by Huayi Brothers Pictures, the film took about 90 million US dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.3 out of 10 from roughly 3,300 votes, and on TMDB 6.3 out of 10 from around 218 votes. A critics' rating of 5.2 out of 10 from twelve reviews sits below the audience scores, indicating a more reserved professional response than that of viewers.