Wētā Workshop unveiled Aurealm at the 7th Qingdao Multinationals Summit in Shandong, China, on June 15, 2026. Created for Zhaojin Group and its international gold jewellery brand, NEW Z GOLD, Aurealm is an original gold-inspired fantasy world that weaves together Eastern and Western mythology to reimagine the culture of gold through original storytelling.

Inspired by the rich cultural heritage of Zhaoyuan, known as China's City of Gold, we developed the complete narrative vision for Aurealm, including original characters, mythical creatures, immersive environments and future content ecosystems, bringing the city's stories and cultural identity to a global audience.

"Rooted in traditional Chinese culture and guided by a cinematic approach to storytelling, our goal was to create a gold-inspired story with universal appeal and bring it to audiences through a rich, multi-dimensional experience," says Wētā Workshop Senior Creative Director Sam Gao.

To further develop the creative vision for the project, Richard Taylor, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Wētā Workshop, led research visits to Shandong with his creative team to immerse themselves in the region's culture, historical traditions, and Zhaojin Group's gold mining industry.