He says Tang and Qin, the surnames of the two lead characters, respectively, symbolize the two eponymous Tang (618-907) and Qin (221-206 BC) dynasties, which were both spectacular chapters in the history of the Chinese civilization.

With a bigger budget than the previous two outings, the latest installment of the franchise used Imax cameras in the filming, making it only the fourth film entirely shot using one of the most advanced equipments in the world.

Mainly filmed in the tourist-friendly areas of Tokyo, such as Akihabara, Shibuya and Shinjuku, the film also recruited hundreds of local extras to shoot several difficult scenes.

Shooting in Japan lasted for more than 70 days, almost double the time spent filming in New York for the second installment.

Now sharing the Detective Chinatown copyright with its principal financer Wanda Media, Chen says he hopes the franchise will shape its own "cinematic detective universe "rather like Marvel's superhero franchise, and will help to popularize Chinese culture around the world.