This movie had a serious divestment problem because Director Tian Xiao Peng rejected the investor's request to alter the script. At last, Peng had to use his own money to finish the movie. When finished, there was no money for advertising. However, the movie earned a good reputation after the premiere, and drew many fans in a very short period of time. These fans called themselves "zi lai shui" (tap water), which means they were willing to advertise the movie on social media for free.
The second movie to which Jackie Chan has been attached with ties to the Legend of the Monkey King. The first was The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), where Jet Li played The Monkey King.