| Director | Soi Cheang |
|---|---|
| Budget | $500 million |
| Box office | $182.2 million |
During an attack on Heaven, the Bull Demon King battles and loses against the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven. The Emperor's sister and the Bull Demon King's lover, Princess Iron Fan, convinces the Emperor to spare him; the Emperor banishes him, Princess Iron Fan, and the rest of the demons to Flaming Mountain. The goddess Nüwa sacrifices her body to rebuild Heaven with crystals. The Jade Emperor appoints his nephew, Erlang Shen, to guard the Southern Gate, despite Erlang's resentment of the task. One of the crystals falls to Mount Huaguo, taking the form of a monkey over time. A nine-tailed fox is scarred after touching the crystal and is whisked away by a mysterious force.
Years later, the monkey is taken in and trained by Subhuti, naming him Sun Wukong. The Bull Demon King plans to invade Heaven again by using Wukong and preying on Erlang's anger toward the Jade Emperor. Erlang agrees to help the Demon King in exchange for the chance to kill his uncle and take Heaven's throne. The plan is kept secret from Princess Iron Fan, who is pregnant with the Demon King's child. Wukong travels to the palace of the Dragon King to find weapons for the Mount Huaguo monkeys. After defeating the Dragon King, Wukong becomes intrigued by a staff planted in the sea. He removes it, causing a violent storm. The Bull Demon King asks a young Vixen if she would like to meet her old friend again. She is revealed to be the nine-tailed fox, and the Demon King is revealed as the force that whisked her away, claiming to have saved her life. After the Dragon King informs Heaven of Wukong's destruction, Erlang sends Nezha to arrest him.
The Vixen, who reveals her name to be Ruxue, reunites with her old friend, Wukong. He promises to make her immortal after learning she will die when she turns 200 years old. The pair is attacked by Nezha, who is then killed by the Bull Demon King. Wukong befriends the Demon King, who appeals to Wukong's ego and tempts him with Heaven's treasures, including immortality. Wukong journeys to Heaven and learns the secret to immortality. The Demon King and Erlang conspire further, revealing that if Wukong consumes the Emperor's elixir, it will increase his power.
Erlang tries to convince the Jade Emperor that Wukong is a demon, but Subhuti intervenes, explaining that Wukong is not evil. Wukong meets the Emperor and is given a position caring for the stables. Princess Iron Fan learns of the Demon King's plan; he justifies his attack as destiny. Wukong comes across a large kiln. Erlang, disguised as a maiden, tempts him by revealing that the Emperor's elixir is made there. Wukong is restrained by Subhuti and told to leave, but Erlang challenges him to take the elixir. Wukong consumes the elixir and battles Erlang until the latter flees. Ashamed, Wukong leaves Heaven and returns to find Mount Huaguo destroyed and all his friends dead, including Ruxue, who has a dark substance around her neck. Enraged, Wukong returns to Heaven after the Bull Demon King convinces him that the gods were responsible. Wukong attacks Heaven's armies and the Emperor. Subhuti battles the Demon King but is defeated. Wukong notices the Demon King conjure the same dark substance he found on Ruxue and realizes the Demon King was who killed Wukong's friends. Wukong attacks the Demon King but is defeated.
Through a vision, the Bodhisattva Guan Yin helps Wukong realize his mistakes. The Demon King defeats the Emperor and kills Erlang, taking the throne. Wukong battles the Demon King once more, sending him crashing to Earth. Later, Princess Iron Fan gives birth to Red Boy. They find the Bull Demon King who, having lost all his power, has been turned into a regular bull. Iron Fan explains that this is the fate of evil men, but she continues to care for the bull regardless. Wukong wishes to help the Emperor rebuild Heaven, but he is stopped by Buddha. Buddha reveals that Wukong's chance for atonement will arrive in 500 years, but he must sleep inside Buddha's hand-turned-mountain until then. Wukong agrees and is sealed by Buddha. 500 years later, the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang approaches the mountain.