China’s Wanda Film has appointed actress-turned-film executive Chen Xi as board director and chair.
According to local reports, Chen (who also goes by Yedda Zhixi Chen) additionally will serve as the legal representative of Shenzhen-listed Wanda Film, which is the country’s largest cinema operator. Wanda Film finances Chinese films.
Since 2015, Chen has served as executive director of Ruyi Holdings and president of Shanghai Ruyi Television Production.
This comes after the chairman of Chinese giant Dalian Wanda and two Wanda operating units agreed to sell a combined 51% stake in the controlling shareholder of Wanda Film to a company linked to Chen’s employer, China Ruyi Holdings.
Shanghai Ruyi Investment Management, which is buying the stake, is controlled by Ke Liming, chairman of movie producer and online streaming service Ruyi.
While at Ruyi, Chen was an investor and producer of highly successful films, including Moon Man and Hi Mom. Collecting $460M at the box office,...
According to local reports, Chen (who also goes by Yedda Zhixi Chen) additionally will serve as the legal representative of Shenzhen-listed Wanda Film, which is the country’s largest cinema operator. Wanda Film finances Chinese films.
Since 2015, Chen has served as executive director of Ruyi Holdings and president of Shanghai Ruyi Television Production.
This comes after the chairman of Chinese giant Dalian Wanda and two Wanda operating units agreed to sell a combined 51% stake in the controlling shareholder of Wanda Film to a company linked to Chen’s employer, China Ruyi Holdings.
Shanghai Ruyi Investment Management, which is buying the stake, is controlled by Ke Liming, chairman of movie producer and online streaming service Ruyi.
While at Ruyi, Chen was an investor and producer of highly successful films, including Moon Man and Hi Mom. Collecting $460M at the box office,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Sara Merican
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor, film producer and executive Chen Xi has been appointed as board director, chair and representative of Wanda Film, China’s largest cinema operator.
Chen (who is also known as Chen Zhixi and who sometimes uses the English name Yedda Chen) becomes one of the highest-positioned women in the Chinese film industry. It is heavily dominated by male administrators, executives and directors.
At 41, Chen is also one of the youngest executives to hold such a senior executive position in China.
The move follows a change of ultimate control caused by the mounting financial problems of the Dalian Wanda holding company owned by Wang Jianlin, the former army officer who between 2012 and 2018 attempted to buy large positions in Hollywood.
In recent weeks, Ruyi Investment Management paid $310 million for a 51% stake in Wang’s Wanda Investment. That and an earlier stake purchase deal give Ruyi a 20% in Wanda Film, nearly twice that of Wang’s remaining 10.9% holding.
Chen (who is also known as Chen Zhixi and who sometimes uses the English name Yedda Chen) becomes one of the highest-positioned women in the Chinese film industry. It is heavily dominated by male administrators, executives and directors.
At 41, Chen is also one of the youngest executives to hold such a senior executive position in China.
The move follows a change of ultimate control caused by the mounting financial problems of the Dalian Wanda holding company owned by Wang Jianlin, the former army officer who between 2012 and 2018 attempted to buy large positions in Hollywood.
In recent weeks, Ruyi Investment Management paid $310 million for a 51% stake in Wang’s Wanda Investment. That and an earlier stake purchase deal give Ruyi a 20% in Wanda Film, nearly twice that of Wang’s remaining 10.9% holding.
- 2/2/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Natasha Liu Bordizzo is one of the most talented and beautiful actresses working in the film industry. The Australian actress made her debut with Netflix’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny in 2016. She followed it up with a small role in The Greatest Showman in which she starred alongside Hugh Zachman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Since then she has starred in multiple brilliant projects and she has even joined the Star Wars universe through projects like The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka. So, if you love Brodizzo’s performances here are the 10 best movies and TV shows starring Natasha Liu Bordizoo you might want to add to your watchlist.
10. The Voyeurs (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon Studios
Synopsis: Pippa and Thomas move into their dream apartment, they notice that their windows look directly into the apartment opposite – inviting them to witness the volatile relationship of the attractive couple across the street.
10. The Voyeurs (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon Studios
Synopsis: Pippa and Thomas move into their dream apartment, they notice that their windows look directly into the apartment opposite – inviting them to witness the volatile relationship of the attractive couple across the street.
- 10/23/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
A movie about the United States’ entry into the Atomic Age might not seem like a straightforward sell in an increasingly nationalistic China, but “Oppenheimer” got off to a strong start there, earning $39 million in 10 days.
That’s amid solid word of mouth (an 8.9 from Douban) and a local press tour by director Christopher Nolan. His in-person promotional visit marked the first such event for a Hollywood film since pre-covid times.
The puzzle now is whether Nolan’s popularity in China is a one-of-a-kind factor or if there’s a broader lesson about what can make for a blockbuster in the country. It’s a crucial question about a once-lucrative market for Hollywood superhero movies and other action-driven tentpoles that has lately proven far more challenging for film marketers.
Robert Pattinson and John David Washington star in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ The Nolan factor
“Christopher Nolan has a strong following among Chinese moviegoers,...
That’s amid solid word of mouth (an 8.9 from Douban) and a local press tour by director Christopher Nolan. His in-person promotional visit marked the first such event for a Hollywood film since pre-covid times.
The puzzle now is whether Nolan’s popularity in China is a one-of-a-kind factor or if there’s a broader lesson about what can make for a blockbuster in the country. It’s a crucial question about a once-lucrative market for Hollywood superhero movies and other action-driven tentpoles that has lately proven far more challenging for film marketers.
Robert Pattinson and John David Washington star in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ The Nolan factor
“Christopher Nolan has a strong following among Chinese moviegoers,...
- 9/8/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
The top movie at the global box office last weekend was not “The Flash” or “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” It was China’s latest homegrown blockbuster, “Lost in the Stars,” which earned $70 million from Friday to Sunday, or $98 million over the four-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday weekend in the country. Counting Monday’s $23.3 million gross and $26 million on Tuesday, the mystery romance has $146.5 million thus far. That already puts it above every summer release in China including Hollywood’s “Fast X,” which has earned $138 million in China since its mid-May premiere.
It’s one more example of how Chinese audiences are showing a strong preference for homegrown movies over Hollywood fare, a conundrum for studios that once counted on China as a growth market. With theaters closed for the pandemic and Western streaming services mostly unwelcome in China’s tightly controlled internet market, there’s been little occasion to connect moviegoers with popular franchises,...
It’s one more example of how Chinese audiences are showing a strong preference for homegrown movies over Hollywood fare, a conundrum for studios that once counted on China as a growth market. With theaters closed for the pandemic and Western streaming services mostly unwelcome in China’s tightly controlled internet market, there’s been little occasion to connect moviegoers with popular franchises,...
- 6/27/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
’Spider-Man: Across The Spider Verse’ soars past $550m.
World box office June 23-25 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Lost In The Stars (Various) $70.4m $97.6m $70.4m $97.6m 1 2. Elemental (Disney) $49.8m $121.1m $31.3m $55.6m 41 3. The Flash (Warner Bros) $41.9m $210.9m $26.6m $123.3m 79 4. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Sony) $41.3m $560.3m $22m $243.2m 64 5. Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts (Paramount) $37.2m $341.2m $25.6m $218.3m 70 6. No Hard Feelings (Sony) $24.6m $24.6m $9.5m $9.5m 49 7. The Little Mermaid (Disney) $18.1m $499.3m $9.4m $229.1m 53 8. Asteroid City (Focus) $12.9m $16.7m $3.9m $6.5m 36 9. Love Never Ends (Various) $11.7m $23.5m $11.7m $23.5m...
World box office June 23-25 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Lost In The Stars (Various) $70.4m $97.6m $70.4m $97.6m 1 2. Elemental (Disney) $49.8m $121.1m $31.3m $55.6m 41 3. The Flash (Warner Bros) $41.9m $210.9m $26.6m $123.3m 79 4. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Sony) $41.3m $560.3m $22m $243.2m 64 5. Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts (Paramount) $37.2m $341.2m $25.6m $218.3m 70 6. No Hard Feelings (Sony) $24.6m $24.6m $9.5m $9.5m 49 7. The Little Mermaid (Disney) $18.1m $499.3m $9.4m $229.1m 53 8. Asteroid City (Focus) $12.9m $16.7m $3.9m $6.5m 36 9. Love Never Ends (Various) $11.7m $23.5m $11.7m $23.5m...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Chinese mystery drama “Lost in the Stars” was the top-grossing film on the planet over the latest weekend – despite playing only a single territory.
The film earned $70.7 million (RMB502 million) between Friday and Sunday in mainland China, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. That put it far and away ahead of other Chinese new releases and Hollywood’s holdovers “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and “The Flash.”
With the Dragon Boat Festival holiday occurring on Thursday, the film was given an unusual one-day advance on the normal releasing pattern in China. Including Thursday takings, the film made a total of $98.3 million (RMB968 million).
Data from Comscore shows “Lost in the Stars” handily beating second-placed “Elemental,” which earned $49.8 million between Friday and Sunday ($31.3 million in 40 international markets and $18.5 million in North America).
“Lost in the Stars” is a Chinese adaptation of a 1990 Russian movie “A Trap for the Lonely Man,...
The film earned $70.7 million (RMB502 million) between Friday and Sunday in mainland China, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. That put it far and away ahead of other Chinese new releases and Hollywood’s holdovers “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and “The Flash.”
With the Dragon Boat Festival holiday occurring on Thursday, the film was given an unusual one-day advance on the normal releasing pattern in China. Including Thursday takings, the film made a total of $98.3 million (RMB968 million).
Data from Comscore shows “Lost in the Stars” handily beating second-placed “Elemental,” which earned $49.8 million between Friday and Sunday ($31.3 million in 40 international markets and $18.5 million in North America).
“Lost in the Stars” is a Chinese adaptation of a 1990 Russian movie “A Trap for the Lonely Man,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
China’s first big blockbuster of the summer has arrived. Lost in the Stars, a mystery thriller produced by As One Productions, opened to $98.3 million over the four-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday weekend, according to data from regional box office consultancy Artisan Gateway. With advance ticket sales for Monday added to the tally, Lost in the Stars has easily crossed the $100 million mark.
Romantic drama Love Never Ends, from Lian Ray Picutres, came out one day earlier and scored second for the holiday with a $23.7 million five-day opening.
Lost in the Stars is co-written by Chen Sicheng, the hitmaking writer-director behind the Detective Chinatown franchise (the three films in the series have earned over $1.3 billion). Ticketing app Maoyan projects Lost in the Stars to eventually earn over $400 million.
Co-directed by Rui Cui and Xiang Liu, the film stars Zhu Yilong as a man whose wife (played by Janice Man) mysteriously...
Romantic drama Love Never Ends, from Lian Ray Picutres, came out one day earlier and scored second for the holiday with a $23.7 million five-day opening.
Lost in the Stars is co-written by Chen Sicheng, the hitmaking writer-director behind the Detective Chinatown franchise (the three films in the series have earned over $1.3 billion). Ticketing app Maoyan projects Lost in the Stars to eventually earn over $400 million.
Co-directed by Rui Cui and Xiang Liu, the film stars Zhu Yilong as a man whose wife (played by Janice Man) mysteriously...
- 6/26/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update: After two major studio movies bowed last weekend, this session was one of holdovers for Hollywood with mixed results.
Last weekend’s leader, The Flash, which had initially come in lower than projections, added $26.6M in 78 offshore markets this weekend, dropping by 59%.The Warner Bros/DC deep universe title now counts an international running cume of $123.3M for $211M worldwide.
The Top 5 markets are China ($23.6M), Mexico ($14.4M), UK ($8.5M), Brazil ($5.4M) and Korea ($4.7M).
Disney/Pixar’s Elemental, meanwhile, had better holds in its second frame, sliding by just 18% (-7% when excluding China). Korea is particularly notable with strong social scores, and this frame was up 18% there, becoming the first movie to overtake local juggernaut The Roundup: No Way Out at No. 1, as well as leading over new entry Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
In Korea, Elemental had the 3rd highest sophomore weekend for Pixar titles after Inside Out...
Last weekend’s leader, The Flash, which had initially come in lower than projections, added $26.6M in 78 offshore markets this weekend, dropping by 59%.The Warner Bros/DC deep universe title now counts an international running cume of $123.3M for $211M worldwide.
The Top 5 markets are China ($23.6M), Mexico ($14.4M), UK ($8.5M), Brazil ($5.4M) and Korea ($4.7M).
Disney/Pixar’s Elemental, meanwhile, had better holds in its second frame, sliding by just 18% (-7% when excluding China). Korea is particularly notable with strong social scores, and this frame was up 18% there, becoming the first movie to overtake local juggernaut The Roundup: No Way Out at No. 1, as well as leading over new entry Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
In Korea, Elemental had the 3rd highest sophomore weekend for Pixar titles after Inside Out...
- 6/25/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Anthony Chen’s well-regarded Mainland China-set “The Breaking Ice” has found favor with multiple European and Asian buyers in the few days since its Sunday premiere as part of the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard.
The film narrates a love triangle story among China’s lost youth generation and is set in the middle of winter in Yanji, a town that is heavily populated by ethnic Koreans. It is headlined by a star-studded Chinese cast of Zhou Dongyu (“Better Days”), Liu Haoran (“Detective Chinatown” franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (“The Wandering Earth”).
“The Breaking Ice” has been newly licensed to Challan for release in South Korea, Trigon-Film for Switzerland, One From the Heart for Greece, Tucker Film for Italy and Edko Films for Hong Kong.
Rights sales are handled by Rediance, Mainland China’s leading indie sales company, which reports that addition territory deals are currently being negotiated.
The film narrates a love triangle story among China’s lost youth generation and is set in the middle of winter in Yanji, a town that is heavily populated by ethnic Koreans. It is headlined by a star-studded Chinese cast of Zhou Dongyu (“Better Days”), Liu Haoran (“Detective Chinatown” franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (“The Wandering Earth”).
“The Breaking Ice” has been newly licensed to Challan for release in South Korea, Trigon-Film for Switzerland, One From the Heart for Greece, Tucker Film for Italy and Edko Films for Hong Kong.
Rights sales are handled by Rediance, Mainland China’s leading indie sales company, which reports that addition territory deals are currently being negotiated.
- 5/26/2023
- by Patrick Frater and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
China’s film market is recovering, now the country’s cinemas and borders are open, and more films are being released, but producers and investors are playing it safe with a limited range of movies, said speakers at Bridging The Dragon’s annual Cannes Marche panel.
In the first session, ‘Is China Back?’, Chinese director-producer Lu Chuan (City Of Life And Death) said: “We have lots of talented and brave young filmmakers who want to make films – the problem is how do we encourage them to make more different types of films, and not only focus on comedies and family dramas.”
One of the biggest trends at the China box office since cinemas reopened has been big-budget comedies, usually with top stars – films like the Detective Chinatown franchise and this year’s Godspeed, which grossed $136M (RMB959M) – have helped drive the country’s box office recovery. China’s box...
In the first session, ‘Is China Back?’, Chinese director-producer Lu Chuan (City Of Life And Death) said: “We have lots of talented and brave young filmmakers who want to make films – the problem is how do we encourage them to make more different types of films, and not only focus on comedies and family dramas.”
One of the biggest trends at the China box office since cinemas reopened has been big-budget comedies, usually with top stars – films like the Detective Chinatown franchise and this year’s Godspeed, which grossed $136M (RMB959M) – have helped drive the country’s box office recovery. China’s box...
- 5/24/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
In June of 2021, Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen, acclaimed for his intimate, realist dramas Ilo Ilo (2013) and Wet Season (2019), was invited to serve on the jury of the Shanghai International Film Festival. As part of his participation in the event, he was asked to give a round of interviews to local Chinese journalists and critics. During one of these sessions, a Chinese writer began by praising the director’s family dramas by describing them as uncommonly “mature and precise” for a filmmaker of his age — Chen is 39 today, but was just 29 when he became the first Singaporean to win Cannes’ Camera d’Or prize with Ilo Ilo in 2013 — but he also challenged Chen by asking, “What do you think your films would be like if you let go of control and worked with a freer spirit?”
As the filmmaker wrapped up his time in Shanghai and flew back to London, where...
As the filmmaker wrapped up his time in Shanghai and flew back to London, where...
- 5/20/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
China’s Rediance Reveals First-Look Images For Cannes Un Certain Regard Selection ‘The Breaking Ice’
Beijing-based sales agent Rediance has revealed first look stills for Anthony Chen’s The Breaking Ice, which has been selected for the Un Certain Regard section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Produced by China’s Canopy Pictures, the film is the first mainland Chinese production directed by Chen, a Singaporean filmmaker who won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2013 with his debut feature Ilo Ilo.
Set in Yanji, a border city in the north of China, The Breaking Ice follows the blossoming relationship among three young adults in their twenties over a short few days of heavy winter snowfall.
The cast is headed by Zhou Dongyu (Better Days), Liu Haoran (Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (The Wandering Earth). Zhou previously starred in Chen’s segment of omnibus film, The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, which premiered at Cannes in 2021.
The Breaking Ice
China’s Huace Pictures...
Produced by China’s Canopy Pictures, the film is the first mainland Chinese production directed by Chen, a Singaporean filmmaker who won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2013 with his debut feature Ilo Ilo.
Set in Yanji, a border city in the north of China, The Breaking Ice follows the blossoming relationship among three young adults in their twenties over a short few days of heavy winter snowfall.
The cast is headed by Zhou Dongyu (Better Days), Liu Haoran (Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (The Wandering Earth). Zhou previously starred in Chen’s segment of omnibus film, The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, which premiered at Cannes in 2021.
The Breaking Ice
China’s Huace Pictures...
- 4/13/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
A “family” of four unexpectedly begins a truck journey full of laughter and tears. Truck driver Zhou Donghai (Qiao Shan) disapproves of his prospective son-in-law, Wan Yifan (Fan Chengcheng). But the harder Wan Yifan tries to please his future father-in-law, the more he gets himself into trouble. In the meantime, the prospective mother-in-law Huo Meimei (Ma Li) and the daughter Zhou Weiyu (Zhang Jingyi) are racking their brains to mediate between this pair of enemies. Can the hapless Wan Yifan successfully pass the various tests set up by his future father-in-law during this road-trip? (Source: Translated from Douban)
Director Yi Xiaoxing has previously worked as a screenwriter with Chen Sicheng (Detective Chinatown trilogy) in 2022’s Mozart from Space. Godspeed will premiere in China on April 28, 2023.
Director Yi Xiaoxing has previously worked as a screenwriter with Chen Sicheng (Detective Chinatown trilogy) in 2022’s Mozart from Space. Godspeed will premiere in China on April 28, 2023.
- 4/4/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
This movie is based on the best-selling mystery novel by Keigo Higashino, The Murder in Kairoutei (Kairōtei Satsujin Jiken). There are innumerable secrets hidden in the Kairoutei Mansion, and a dispute arises from a desperate woman’s desire for revenge because of love!
A wealthy businessman dies of illness, his relatives gather at the Kairoutei Mansion awaiting the distribution of a multi-billion dollar inheritance, each and everyone harbours sinister designs. At a crucial moment, lawyer Zhou Yang (Ren Suxi) arrives with the will and a mysterious diary. It even involves a homicide case from a fatal fire that happened a year ago. The deceased was the illegitimate son who had been wandering destitute abroad and the heir apparent to the entire estate of the wealthy businessman. The murderer seems to be hiding amongst the crowd … (Source: Translated from Douban)
Higashino’s whodunnit is certainly popular with a Japanese movie adaptation in 2011, Kairoutei Satsujin Jiken,...
A wealthy businessman dies of illness, his relatives gather at the Kairoutei Mansion awaiting the distribution of a multi-billion dollar inheritance, each and everyone harbours sinister designs. At a crucial moment, lawyer Zhou Yang (Ren Suxi) arrives with the will and a mysterious diary. It even involves a homicide case from a fatal fire that happened a year ago. The deceased was the illegitimate son who had been wandering destitute abroad and the heir apparent to the entire estate of the wealthy businessman. The murderer seems to be hiding amongst the crowd … (Source: Translated from Douban)
Higashino’s whodunnit is certainly popular with a Japanese movie adaptation in 2011, Kairoutei Satsujin Jiken,...
- 2/20/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Beijing-based Tiger Pictures Entertainment has acquired worldwide distribution rights outside of mainland China for hit sci-fi comedy film “Moon Man.“
The film, which has collected some 430 million at the Chinese box office to date, tells the story of “the last human in the universe” as an astronaut finds himself stranded on the moon after an asteroid wipes out life on earth. It is directed by Zhang Chiyu, who previously directed 2017 sports comedy hit “Never Say Die.” It was produced by Mahua FunAge, a consistently successful comedy production firm.
FunAge’s “Goodbye Mr. Loser” and “Never Say Die” starred Shen Teng and Ma Li and “Moon Man” brings together the comedy duo once again.
Tiger Pictures Entertainment previously handled the worldwide release of another comedy hit film “Hi Mom” in all major markets with a prominent Chinese diaspora, including North America, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia as well Hong Kong and Macau Sar.
The film, which has collected some 430 million at the Chinese box office to date, tells the story of “the last human in the universe” as an astronaut finds himself stranded on the moon after an asteroid wipes out life on earth. It is directed by Zhang Chiyu, who previously directed 2017 sports comedy hit “Never Say Die.” It was produced by Mahua FunAge, a consistently successful comedy production firm.
FunAge’s “Goodbye Mr. Loser” and “Never Say Die” starred Shen Teng and Ma Li and “Moon Man” brings together the comedy duo once again.
Tiger Pictures Entertainment previously handled the worldwide release of another comedy hit film “Hi Mom” in all major markets with a prominent Chinese diaspora, including North America, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia as well Hong Kong and Macau Sar.
- 9/13/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Canopy’s first film The Breaking Ice’ has just wrapped in China.
Ilo Ilo director Anthony Chen has wrapped production in China of The Breaking Ice, the first in a slate of film and TV projects he is developing through his new Beijing and Shanghai-based outfit Canopy Pictures.
China’s Huace Pictures is a co-investor of the film, and is handling distributioin in China. Xie Meng’s sales outfit Rediance is taking on worldwide sales. Xie is also a partner with Chen in Canopy Pictures.
The Breaking Ice was filmed in China’s northern Jilin province, and stars Zhou Dongyu,...
Ilo Ilo director Anthony Chen has wrapped production in China of The Breaking Ice, the first in a slate of film and TV projects he is developing through his new Beijing and Shanghai-based outfit Canopy Pictures.
China’s Huace Pictures is a co-investor of the film, and is handling distributioin in China. Xie Meng’s sales outfit Rediance is taking on worldwide sales. Xie is also a partner with Chen in Canopy Pictures.
The Breaking Ice was filmed in China’s northern Jilin province, and stars Zhou Dongyu,...
- 2/9/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Singaporean filmmaker Anthony Chen has wrapped shooting of his first Mainland Chinese feature “The Breaking Ice.”
Hailed as one of Asia’s brightest young directors, Chen competed in the shorts competition at Cannes in 2007 with “Grandma” and won the Camera d’Or with his debut feature “Ilo Ilo” in 2013. His sophomore feature “Wet Season” premiered in competition at the Toronto International Film Festival. Both films were selected as Singapore’s official submissions to the Oscars.
Headlining the star-studded Chinese cast of “The Breaking Ice” are Zhou Dongyu (“Better Days”), Liu Haoran (the Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (“The Wandering Earth”). Zhou and Liu previously collaborated on “Fire on the Plain” which competed at San Sebastian in 2021.
Written and directed by Chen, the film follows the blossoming relationship among three young adults in their twenties, set over a short few days in the winter snow.
The film is produced by...
Hailed as one of Asia’s brightest young directors, Chen competed in the shorts competition at Cannes in 2007 with “Grandma” and won the Camera d’Or with his debut feature “Ilo Ilo” in 2013. His sophomore feature “Wet Season” premiered in competition at the Toronto International Film Festival. Both films were selected as Singapore’s official submissions to the Oscars.
Headlining the star-studded Chinese cast of “The Breaking Ice” are Zhou Dongyu (“Better Days”), Liu Haoran (the Detective Chinatown franchise) and Qu Chuxiao (“The Wandering Earth”). Zhou and Liu previously collaborated on “Fire on the Plain” which competed at San Sebastian in 2021.
Written and directed by Chen, the film follows the blossoming relationship among three young adults in their twenties, set over a short few days in the winter snow.
The film is produced by...
- 2/9/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Eight local titles come out in China on February 1
The Battle At Lake Changjin II looks set to conquer the China box office when it hits cinemas on February 1, which marks the first day of the highly lucrative Chinese New Year holiday.
At time of writing, the action sequel has clocked up more than $40m (RMB258m) in advance ticket sales for its opening day alone, according to real-time box-office data from the country’s leading online ticketing platform Maoyan.
The release of the 1950s-set patriotic war epic was only officially announced less than three weeks ago as a late...
The Battle At Lake Changjin II looks set to conquer the China box office when it hits cinemas on February 1, which marks the first day of the highly lucrative Chinese New Year holiday.
At time of writing, the action sequel has clocked up more than $40m (RMB258m) in advance ticket sales for its opening day alone, according to real-time box-office data from the country’s leading online ticketing platform Maoyan.
The release of the 1950s-set patriotic war epic was only officially announced less than three weeks ago as a late...
- 1/30/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
In another quiet weekend in China, Korean War blockbuster “The Battle at Lake Changjin” was at last eased out of the top five for the first time since its Sept. 30 debut. It was replaced by a new Korean War film with lower production values.
“Crossing the Yalu River” from China Media Group debuted Friday to a $3 million three-day opener, coming in fourth. It stars frequent portrayer of Mao Zedong Tang Guoqiang as the controversial leader and Sun Weimin as Zhou Enlai.
Meanwhile, Wanda Pictures’ “Fireflies in the Sun,” an adaptation of the 2002 Nick Cassavetes film “John Q,” opened first with $54.2 million, according to data from Artisan Gateway. It tells the story about a family that lived a poor but happy life until the son has an accident and needs an expensive treatment, which his father does whatever it takes to obtain.
The original film starring Denzel Washington was not especially...
“Crossing the Yalu River” from China Media Group debuted Friday to a $3 million three-day opener, coming in fourth. It stars frequent portrayer of Mao Zedong Tang Guoqiang as the controversial leader and Sun Weimin as Zhou Enlai.
Meanwhile, Wanda Pictures’ “Fireflies in the Sun,” an adaptation of the 2002 Nick Cassavetes film “John Q,” opened first with $54.2 million, according to data from Artisan Gateway. It tells the story about a family that lived a poor but happy life until the son has an accident and needs an expensive treatment, which his father does whatever it takes to obtain.
The original film starring Denzel Washington was not especially...
- 12/20/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
China Film Co’s patriotic omnibus My Country, My Parents came in second with $90.6m over four days.
Bona Film Group’s The Battle At Lake Changjin topped the China box office over the National Day holiday weekend, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway, grossing $234.8m in four days.
The patriotic blockbuster, co-directed by Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam, opened on September 30 and grossed $31.6m on its first day, followed by an additional $203.2m over the three-day weekend (October 1-3). China’s National Day holidays, celebrating the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in...
Bona Film Group’s The Battle At Lake Changjin topped the China box office over the National Day holiday weekend, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway, grossing $234.8m in four days.
The patriotic blockbuster, co-directed by Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam, opened on September 30 and grossed $31.6m on its first day, followed by an additional $203.2m over the three-day weekend (October 1-3). China’s National Day holidays, celebrating the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in...
- 10/4/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
While Western cinema all too often equates film noir with retro pastiche and period fare, Chinese filmmakers continue to sustain the genre in bracingly contemporary, socially relevant ways — often sneaking a wealth of political and economic commentary past censors and straight into their sleek underworld narratives. Zhang Ji’s remarkable debut feature, “Fire on the Plain,” follows in this rich tradition: On the surface, it’s a grand, expansive yarn meshing cool policier with . A collective sense of yearning for other lives and other options runs through the well-oiled mechanics of the plot, elevating this San Sebastian competition standout from merely compelling to truly stirring.
Former cinematographer Zhang is best known for his work on Zhang Bingjian’s “North by Northeast,” and this is about as fully formed as first features come — matching the technical finesse you might expect, given his background, to real storytelling brio. If “Fire on the Plain...
Former cinematographer Zhang is best known for his work on Zhang Bingjian’s “North by Northeast,” and this is about as fully formed as first features come — matching the technical finesse you might expect, given his background, to real storytelling brio. If “Fire on the Plain...
- 9/28/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
When Taiwanese actor Janine Chang was writing her masters’ thesis in industrial economics in 2010, she likely never imagined that two Chinese characters in it would become a diplomatic flashpoint and threaten to derail her lucrative acting career more than a decade later.
This week, however, it has done just that. Her thesis at Taiwan’s National Central University entitled “Issues Related to the Country’s Artist Management and Legal Systems” has sparked an enormous wave of Chinese nationalist criticism online over her use of the word “country.”
It was proof, jingoistic social media users in China argued, that she was pro-Taiwanese independence and should be blacklisted — even though Chang ranks among the most outspoken Taiwanese entertainers to vocally take a pro-China stance.
Governments on both sides of the straits quickly jumped in to comment on the seemingly inconsequential celebrity news item, the latest indication of just how politicized China’s...
This week, however, it has done just that. Her thesis at Taiwan’s National Central University entitled “Issues Related to the Country’s Artist Management and Legal Systems” has sparked an enormous wave of Chinese nationalist criticism online over her use of the word “country.”
It was proof, jingoistic social media users in China argued, that she was pro-Taiwanese independence and should be blacklisted — even though Chang ranks among the most outspoken Taiwanese entertainers to vocally take a pro-China stance.
Governments on both sides of the straits quickly jumped in to comment on the seemingly inconsequential celebrity news item, the latest indication of just how politicized China’s...
- 9/13/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Chinese director Chen Kaige’s U.S.-born son Arthur Chen Feiyu has swapped his American citizenship for a Chinese one, a change widely viewed locally as a savvy move to boost his burgeoning career in the mainland.
The move comes as Chinese public opinion about celebrities has hinged upon questions of nationality. For instance, Beijing banned mentions of China-born Chloe Zhao earlier this year — despite her Oscar sweep — after a frenzy of inquiry erupted online over her true nationality, among other issues.
Arthur Chen, it seems, is preemptively sidestepping all that drama.
“After a wait of several years, the young man’s wishes has finally been fulfilled. Mr. Chen Feiyu has formally become a Chinese citizen,” his studio said in a statement to its official Weibo, stamped with the company’s official seal. “At the same time, Mr. Chen Feiyu has always steadfastly loved the great motherland, and will...
The move comes as Chinese public opinion about celebrities has hinged upon questions of nationality. For instance, Beijing banned mentions of China-born Chloe Zhao earlier this year — despite her Oscar sweep — after a frenzy of inquiry erupted online over her true nationality, among other issues.
Arthur Chen, it seems, is preemptively sidestepping all that drama.
“After a wait of several years, the young man’s wishes has finally been fulfilled. Mr. Chen Feiyu has formally become a Chinese citizen,” his studio said in a statement to its official Weibo, stamped with the company’s official seal. “At the same time, Mr. Chen Feiyu has always steadfastly loved the great motherland, and will...
- 8/3/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Audiences will be rooting for a working-class family to get away with manslaughter in “Sheep Without a Shepherd,” a gripping Chinese crime thriller set in small-town Thailand. Centered on an ordinary guy whose extraordinary film knowledge holds the key to keeping his family out of jail, this cleverly scripted item marks an auspicious feature debut for Malaysia-born, Taipei-based director Sam Quah. After grossing a stellar $191 million domestically in late 2019 and mid-2020 rerelease, “Sheep” ought to attract plenty of viewers in limited U.S. cinemas from July 30 and on streaming from Aug. 6.
Setting what must be some sort of record for the most remakes in the shortest time, “Sheep” is the sixth version of “Drishyam” (2013), a Malayaman-language Indian hit written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. Remakes in Kannada, Telegu, Tamil and Hindi have followed in India, along with a Sinhalese production in Sri Lanka. With its punchy depiction of ordinary people...
Setting what must be some sort of record for the most remakes in the shortest time, “Sheep” is the sixth version of “Drishyam” (2013), a Malayaman-language Indian hit written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. Remakes in Kannada, Telegu, Tamil and Hindi have followed in India, along with a Sinhalese production in Sri Lanka. With its punchy depiction of ordinary people...
- 7/27/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Tentpole grosses $9.9m South Korea, $8.2m in Russia, all time opening weekend in Saudi Arabia.
Universal’s F9 has shot out of the gate in its first international wave, grossing an estimated $162.4m from eight markets to establish a record international debut in the pandemic fuelled by $135.6m (875m Rmb) in China.
Weekend results will encourage exhibition ahead of the broader roll-out of this film and others over the summer. F9 pushed the action franchise past the $6bn global mark and included a $14m IMAX weekend – another pandemic high – that ranks as Universal’s third highest.
F9 delivered the studio...
Universal’s F9 has shot out of the gate in its first international wave, grossing an estimated $162.4m from eight markets to establish a record international debut in the pandemic fuelled by $135.6m (875m Rmb) in China.
Weekend results will encourage exhibition ahead of the broader roll-out of this film and others over the summer. F9 pushed the action franchise past the $6bn global mark and included a $14m IMAX weekend – another pandemic high – that ranks as Universal’s third highest.
F9 delivered the studio...
- 5/23/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
She may not be a household name anywhere other than her native China, but Chinese helmer Jia Ling has officially overtaken Patty Jenkins as the world’s highest-grossing female director for a single film.
After an extended three-month run, Jia’s Chinese New Year blockbuster “Hi, Mom,” finally left Chinese theaters Tuesday. It has grossed $838 million (RMB5.41 billion) since its Feb. 12 debut, according to Maoyan data and using an exchange rate of $1 = RMB6.44)
That sum makes it the 79th highest grossing film in the world of all time, behind Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” ($854 million) and just ahead of Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” ($837 million). It also finished above Patty Jenkin’s 2017 “Wonder Woman,” which earned $823 million. “Hi, Mom” surpassed “Wonder Woman” in early April, 54 days after its release. (Some sources using different rates of exchange may arrive at different totals and rankings.)
Locally, the title has now surpassed the 2019 animation “Ne Zha...
After an extended three-month run, Jia’s Chinese New Year blockbuster “Hi, Mom,” finally left Chinese theaters Tuesday. It has grossed $838 million (RMB5.41 billion) since its Feb. 12 debut, according to Maoyan data and using an exchange rate of $1 = RMB6.44)
That sum makes it the 79th highest grossing film in the world of all time, behind Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” ($854 million) and just ahead of Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” ($837 million). It also finished above Patty Jenkin’s 2017 “Wonder Woman,” which earned $823 million. “Hi, Mom” surpassed “Wonder Woman” in early April, 54 days after its release. (Some sources using different rates of exchange may arrive at different totals and rankings.)
Locally, the title has now surpassed the 2019 animation “Ne Zha...
- 5/14/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Chinese-American actor and rapper Victor Ma will star alongside Colin Firth in STXfilms and Tencent Pictures’ action comedy tentatively titled New York Will Eat You Alive.
We first told you about the movie last November, which is based on Jia Haibo’s Tencent digital comic book Zombie Brother. In the film, Ma will star as Bai, a successful biotech engineer who has to lead his group of friends across a New York City overrun with zombies in order to save the world.
STX is releasing the Todd Strauss-Schulson directed film in the U.S. and UK and through its foreign output partners with Tencent distributing in China.
“Victor is a true star in the making,” said STXfilms Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson. “He has the kind of magnetic screen presence and talent that makes casting fun. We believe this film has real franchise potential and are excited about...
We first told you about the movie last November, which is based on Jia Haibo’s Tencent digital comic book Zombie Brother. In the film, Ma will star as Bai, a successful biotech engineer who has to lead his group of friends across a New York City overrun with zombies in order to save the world.
STX is releasing the Todd Strauss-Schulson directed film in the U.S. and UK and through its foreign output partners with Tencent distributing in China.
“Victor is a true star in the making,” said STXfilms Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson. “He has the kind of magnetic screen presence and talent that makes casting fun. We believe this film has real franchise potential and are excited about...
- 5/5/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet, the latest installment in the long-running Japanese anime franchise, topped the China box office on its opening weekend, grossing $17.1m in its first two days.
The film, which opened in China on April 17, is directed by Nagaoka Tomoka and produced by Tokyo-based Tms Entertainment, with Toho distributing in Japan. It also had a strong start in Japan, which together with its China opening, propelled it to become the highest-grossing film worldwide over the weekend. With the Tokyo Olympics already delayed by a year due to the pandemic, the topicality of the film’s plot may partly explain its success,...
The film, which opened in China on April 17, is directed by Nagaoka Tomoka and produced by Tokyo-based Tms Entertainment, with Toho distributing in Japan. It also had a strong start in Japan, which together with its China opening, propelled it to become the highest-grossing film worldwide over the weekend. With the Tokyo Olympics already delayed by a year due to the pandemic, the topicality of the film’s plot may partly explain its success,...
- 4/19/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Shawn Xiang Yue, one of the producers of Chinese box office juggernaut franchise Detective Chinatown, is launching U.S. production banner Bamboo Curtain.
Yue has just produced Detective Chinatown 3, which currently sits at $680M globally. He also produced Detective Chinatown 2, and Chinese box office hit Go Away Mr Tumor, which was selected as China’s entry for the 88th Academy Awards. He previously served as Head of International Business Affairs at Wanda Media where he co-produced films including Police Story and Man of Taichi.
The new LA-based firm will be capitalized by and operate under Yue’s Beijing-based firm Goshfilm.
The focus of the new company, Yue tells us, is to create a conduit between the U.S. and Chinese industries by making projects that can work in both markets. Yue has lived and worked in both countries so is well-placed to help creators navigate the legal...
Yue has just produced Detective Chinatown 3, which currently sits at $680M globally. He also produced Detective Chinatown 2, and Chinese box office hit Go Away Mr Tumor, which was selected as China’s entry for the 88th Academy Awards. He previously served as Head of International Business Affairs at Wanda Media where he co-produced films including Police Story and Man of Taichi.
The new LA-based firm will be capitalized by and operate under Yue’s Beijing-based firm Goshfilm.
The focus of the new company, Yue tells us, is to create a conduit between the U.S. and Chinese industries by making projects that can work in both markets. Yue has lived and worked in both countries so is well-placed to help creators navigate the legal...
- 4/13/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
“Godzilla vs. Kong” was once again muscled out of the top China box office slot by local drama “Sister” thanks to a $13.2 million third weekend cume that was no match for the latter’s $21 million.
Its China tally was a touch less than its $13.4 million second weekend sales in North America. Though “Godzilla” is being hailed Stateside as the highest grossing film domestically since the pandemic began for its $69.5 million cume to date, that figure is less than half its earnings in China thus far.
The Legendary and Warner Bros. title has now grossed a total of $165 million in China since its March 26 release, with data from the Maoyan platform predicting that it will bow out with a final cume of $188 million. But whatever its final tally, China will certainly far and away end up its top market worldwide.
Even so, the monster movie was smacked down by “Sister,” the...
Its China tally was a touch less than its $13.4 million second weekend sales in North America. Though “Godzilla” is being hailed Stateside as the highest grossing film domestically since the pandemic began for its $69.5 million cume to date, that figure is less than half its earnings in China thus far.
The Legendary and Warner Bros. title has now grossed a total of $165 million in China since its March 26 release, with data from the Maoyan platform predicting that it will bow out with a final cume of $188 million. But whatever its final tally, China will certainly far and away end up its top market worldwide.
Even so, the monster movie was smacked down by “Sister,” the...
- 4/11/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Update, writethru: Warner Bros/Legendary’s Godzilla Vs Kong continues to dominate the global and international box office, now with an estimated $288.3M offshore cume for $357.8M worldwide through Sunday. It will soon cross Tenet globally and overseas. Domestically, it has overtaken Tenet to become the No. 1 grossing movie of the pandemic era. Overall, it’s bound to turn a profit.
The full overseas weekend was $24.1M, a 66% drop from last frame’s holiday play and in line with the genre. Directed by Adam Wingard, the monster mash remains the No. 3 picture of 2021 both internationally and globally. It is currently running 7% ahead of Kong: Skull Island, 46% over Godzilla: King Of The Monsters and 99% above Godzilla in like-for-like overseas markets and using today’s exchange rates.
China leads all play at $165.4M (adding $12.9M this weekend in second place behind local pic Sister which had an estimated $21M sophomore session), followed...
The full overseas weekend was $24.1M, a 66% drop from last frame’s holiday play and in line with the genre. Directed by Adam Wingard, the monster mash remains the No. 3 picture of 2021 both internationally and globally. It is currently running 7% ahead of Kong: Skull Island, 46% over Godzilla: King Of The Monsters and 99% above Godzilla in like-for-like overseas markets and using today’s exchange rates.
China leads all play at $165.4M (adding $12.9M this weekend in second place behind local pic Sister which had an estimated $21M sophomore session), followed...
- 4/11/2021
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Trinity CineAsia presents a remarkable directorial debut from filmmaker Sam Quah. “Sheep Without a Shepherd” boasts incredible performances and a tense and emotionally riveting story, making it a must-see and compelling new thriller.
“Involving performances from a uniformly terrific cast” Screen Daily
“A perfect balance of thrills, chills and rolling emotions” Screen Anarchy
“Equal parts folktale and internet-age morality yarn” Financial Times
Synopsis:
Li and his wife A Yu run a small business in Thailand and enjoy a happy home life with their two daughters. When their eldest daughter is violently assaulted, blackmailed and left traumatised by another student, her parents intervene, leading to a dead body which needs to be hidden, and every trace of the boy buried to cover up the accident.
However, the missing boy’s parents, dogged detective La Wen and mayoral candidate Du Peng are pushing the local police to turn over every rock to find the truth,...
“Involving performances from a uniformly terrific cast” Screen Daily
“A perfect balance of thrills, chills and rolling emotions” Screen Anarchy
“Equal parts folktale and internet-age morality yarn” Financial Times
Synopsis:
Li and his wife A Yu run a small business in Thailand and enjoy a happy home life with their two daughters. When their eldest daughter is violently assaulted, blackmailed and left traumatised by another student, her parents intervene, leading to a dead body which needs to be hidden, and every trace of the boy buried to cover up the accident.
However, the missing boy’s parents, dogged detective La Wen and mayoral candidate Du Peng are pushing the local police to turn over every rock to find the truth,...
- 4/7/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Godzilla vs. Kong, Hollywood’s newly crowned pandemic-era box-office champ, has already suffered a surprise upset in China.
The Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment blockbuster earned a healthy $44.2 million in its second weekend on Chinese screens, which amounted to a slide of just 37 percent from its $70.3 million debut. But that wasn’t enough to stay on top. Underdog local drama Sister, from Shanghai-based studio Lian Ray Pictures, handily defeated the monster mashup, opening to $53.5 million.
Directed by newcomer Ruoxin Yin, Sister tells the story of a girl (Zhang Zifeng of Detective Chinatown franchise fame) who’s forced to ...
The Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment blockbuster earned a healthy $44.2 million in its second weekend on Chinese screens, which amounted to a slide of just 37 percent from its $70.3 million debut. But that wasn’t enough to stay on top. Underdog local drama Sister, from Shanghai-based studio Lian Ray Pictures, handily defeated the monster mashup, opening to $53.5 million.
Directed by newcomer Ruoxin Yin, Sister tells the story of a girl (Zhang Zifeng of Detective Chinatown franchise fame) who’s forced to ...
Godzilla vs. Kong, Hollywood’s newly crowned pandemic-era box-office champ, has already suffered a surprise upset in China.
The Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment blockbuster earned a healthy $44.2 million in its second weekend on Chinese screens, which amounted to a slide of just 37 percent from its $70.3 million debut. But that wasn’t enough to stay on top. Underdog local drama Sister, from Shanghai-based studio Lian Ray Pictures, handily defeated the monster mashup, opening to $53.5 million.
Directed by newcomer Ruoxin Yin, Sister tells the story of a girl (Zhang Zifeng of Detective Chinatown franchise fame) who’s forced to ...
The Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment blockbuster earned a healthy $44.2 million in its second weekend on Chinese screens, which amounted to a slide of just 37 percent from its $70.3 million debut. But that wasn’t enough to stay on top. Underdog local drama Sister, from Shanghai-based studio Lian Ray Pictures, handily defeated the monster mashup, opening to $53.5 million.
Directed by newcomer Ruoxin Yin, Sister tells the story of a girl (Zhang Zifeng of Detective Chinatown franchise fame) who’s forced to ...
While the U.S. industry celebrated “Godzilla vs. Kong” as the biggest and widest opening of the pandemic, the monster film has already been defeated in its second weekend in the world’s largest film market by the low-budget local drama “Sister.”
In its Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday debut, the reportedly $4.6 million-budgeted latter film directed by unknown helmer Yin Ruoxin muscled past the $160 million-budgeted Legendary and Warner Bros. juggernaut by more than $9 million.
“Godzilla vs. Kong” grossed $43.5 million in China this weekend, according to data from Maoyan, bringing its cume up to $137 million, having opened five days earlier in China than the U.S. Imax screens have accounted for $18 million of its cume so far — nearly double the final Imax China box office gross for “Kong: Skull Island” and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” but not yet more than the 2014 “Godzilla” reboot.
The “Godzilla vs. Kong” weekend China earnings put...
In its Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday debut, the reportedly $4.6 million-budgeted latter film directed by unknown helmer Yin Ruoxin muscled past the $160 million-budgeted Legendary and Warner Bros. juggernaut by more than $9 million.
“Godzilla vs. Kong” grossed $43.5 million in China this weekend, according to data from Maoyan, bringing its cume up to $137 million, having opened five days earlier in China than the U.S. Imax screens have accounted for $18 million of its cume so far — nearly double the final Imax China box office gross for “Kong: Skull Island” and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” but not yet more than the 2014 “Godzilla” reboot.
The “Godzilla vs. Kong” weekend China earnings put...
- 4/4/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
China’s Huace Pictures this week unveiled its upcoming film lineup, which includes a new project from young arthouse filmmaker Bi Gan (“Kaili Blues”) and sequels to its Chinese New Year hit “A Writer’s Odyssey.”
Founded in 2014, Huace Pictures is the newer outgrowth of Shenzhen-listed, Hangzhou-headquartered Zhejiang Huace Film and TV, founded in 2005. The latter has historically been a strong player in China’s TV drama production, but the group hopes to boost its footprint in film.
To that end, it unveiled on Tuesday a new logo for Huace Pictures, and announced the goal of producing 30 films over the next three years that can collectively bring in $1.5 billion (RMB10 billion) or more at the box office. It also released a list of 16 upcoming films that it plans to produce or distribute this year.
Fu Binxing, Huace Pictures chairman and VP of Huace Film and TV Group, said the company seeks...
Founded in 2014, Huace Pictures is the newer outgrowth of Shenzhen-listed, Hangzhou-headquartered Zhejiang Huace Film and TV, founded in 2005. The latter has historically been a strong player in China’s TV drama production, but the group hopes to boost its footprint in film.
To that end, it unveiled on Tuesday a new logo for Huace Pictures, and announced the goal of producing 30 films over the next three years that can collectively bring in $1.5 billion (RMB10 billion) or more at the box office. It also released a list of 16 upcoming films that it plans to produce or distribute this year.
Fu Binxing, Huace Pictures chairman and VP of Huace Film and TV Group, said the company seeks...
- 4/2/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Despite the ongoing trade war and frostier than ever ties between China and the U.S., “Detective Chinatown 3” producer and financier Shawn Yue (aka Yue Xiang) is still betting on collaboration in the film industry — though perhaps not in the way you’d expect.
Chinese production budgets and visual ambitions have lately begun to outgrow China’s ability to achieve them, given the country’s lack of existing talent and resources to execute such projects. While it might still be cheaper to shoot smaller productions in China, films budgeted over $20 million are actually cheaper to shoot in the U.S., Yue attests.
“It’s weird — if you want to make anything, you outsource it to China, but if you want to make a film, now is a good time to outsource to the U.S.,” says Yue, one of 18 listed producers and “co-producers” for “Detective Chinatown 3” who says...
Chinese production budgets and visual ambitions have lately begun to outgrow China’s ability to achieve them, given the country’s lack of existing talent and resources to execute such projects. While it might still be cheaper to shoot smaller productions in China, films budgeted over $20 million are actually cheaper to shoot in the U.S., Yue attests.
“It’s weird — if you want to make anything, you outsource it to China, but if you want to make a film, now is a good time to outsource to the U.S.,” says Yue, one of 18 listed producers and “co-producers” for “Detective Chinatown 3” who says...
- 3/17/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Beijing-based sales agency is also handling war epic Sacrifice and Vincent Zhao’s Counter Attack.
Beijing-based sales agency Blossoms Entertainment is launches sales on three new productions from leading Chinese studio Huayi Brothers at Filmart Online, headed by historical war epic Railway Heroes.
Starring Zhang Hanyu (Operation Red Sea) and Fan Wei (One Second), the film follows a group of Chinese railway workers during the Sino-Japanese War, who attempt to sabotage the enemy’s vital transport links whilst evading arrest. The film, directed by Yang Feng, is currently in production for release over China’s National Day Holidays in October.
Beijing-based sales agency Blossoms Entertainment is launches sales on three new productions from leading Chinese studio Huayi Brothers at Filmart Online, headed by historical war epic Railway Heroes.
Starring Zhang Hanyu (Operation Red Sea) and Fan Wei (One Second), the film follows a group of Chinese railway workers during the Sino-Japanese War, who attempt to sabotage the enemy’s vital transport links whilst evading arrest. The film, directed by Yang Feng, is currently in production for release over China’s National Day Holidays in October.
- 3/15/2021
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Chinese indie sales agency Blossoms Entertainment returns to FilMart with a slate of large-scale commercial pictures sourced from a clutch of China’s biggest film studios.
The agency, operated by former Im Global staffers Vicky Ding and Leslie Chen, is pre-selling “Railway Heroes,” a tale of heroism and wartime sabotage which is targeting a National Day release in October. The film is directed by Yang Feng with a cast headed by Zhang Hanyu and Fan Wei.
“Never Stop,” a sports drama about the careers of two sprinters, is poised to release in China around the time of the Tokyo Olympics this summer. The cast is headed by “Shadow” star Zheng Kai (aka Ryan Zheng), with direction by Han Bowen.
Leste Chen’s “Upcoming” (aka “Sheng Xia Wei Lai”) marks the “Eternal Summer” director’s return to the romantic coming of age genre after more recent efforts in other directions including...
The agency, operated by former Im Global staffers Vicky Ding and Leslie Chen, is pre-selling “Railway Heroes,” a tale of heroism and wartime sabotage which is targeting a National Day release in October. The film is directed by Yang Feng with a cast headed by Zhang Hanyu and Fan Wei.
“Never Stop,” a sports drama about the careers of two sprinters, is poised to release in China around the time of the Tokyo Olympics this summer. The cast is headed by “Shadow” star Zheng Kai (aka Ryan Zheng), with direction by Han Bowen.
Leste Chen’s “Upcoming” (aka “Sheng Xia Wei Lai”) marks the “Eternal Summer” director’s return to the romantic coming of age genre after more recent efforts in other directions including...
- 3/14/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The mega-successful Chinese franchise about a mismatched detective duo tackling baffling crimes in foreign destinations continues with a wildly uneven caper set in Tokyo. With performances, plotting and visuals amped up to 11 as per usual, this hyperactive combination of Sherlock Holmes-type sleuthing and Three Stooges-style slapstick comedy offers plenty of zany fun, but the central murder-mystery contains so many convoluted diversions, digressions and detours it makes the whole enterprise play like a long stream-of-consciousness sketch with a glaringly hollow core.
A smash hit domestically after opening on Feb. 12 in the Chinese New Year season, “Detective Chinatown 3” has grossed $667 million in the three weeks since. U.S. distributor Warner Bros. Pictures has yet to announce specific release details following the Covid-19 enforced postponement of the film’s planned global rollout on January 24, 2020. Earning its place in history with the highest opening-day gross of any film in a single market ($163 million...
A smash hit domestically after opening on Feb. 12 in the Chinese New Year season, “Detective Chinatown 3” has grossed $667 million in the three weeks since. U.S. distributor Warner Bros. Pictures has yet to announce specific release details following the Covid-19 enforced postponement of the film’s planned global rollout on January 24, 2020. Earning its place in history with the highest opening-day gross of any film in a single market ($163 million...
- 3/6/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
With presumed Western blockbusters such as Black Widow, No Time to Die, and The Eternals delayed until later this year, the rambunctious Detective Chinatown franchise has leaped into the void in a very, very big way. Few, if any movies have ever raked in so much coin in so little time.
The figures speak for themselves: The third entry in the rambunctious and goofy Chinese action series featuring an oddball cop team of a young brainiac and a reckless wild man set an all-time box-office record with a three-day opening weekend haul of $398 million, leading to an opening week total of $621 million.
Among other benchmark achievements were ticket pre-sales of $150 million and an opening day take of $163 million. And all this was achieved even with theater capacity restrictions of 50 and sometimes 75 percent in some situations. After closing down early in 2020, cinemas in China reopened in July.
In tone and ambition,...
The figures speak for themselves: The third entry in the rambunctious and goofy Chinese action series featuring an oddball cop team of a young brainiac and a reckless wild man set an all-time box-office record with a three-day opening weekend haul of $398 million, leading to an opening week total of $621 million.
Among other benchmark achievements were ticket pre-sales of $150 million and an opening day take of $163 million. And all this was achieved even with theater capacity restrictions of 50 and sometimes 75 percent in some situations. After closing down early in 2020, cinemas in China reopened in July.
In tone and ambition,...
- 2/22/2021
- by Todd McCarthy
- Deadline Film + TV
China’s Lunar New Year holiday brought in a record $1.2 billion (RMB7.8 billion) in ticket sales, making a tenth of the global 2020 box office in just six days.
It marked the first time in Chinese film history that the country’s single-day box office exceeded RMB1 billion ($155 million) for five consecutive days. More than 160 million viewers attended more than 2.9 million screenings, setting new records for attendance during the holiday.
The top three films were “Detective Chinatown 3,” which grossed an eye-watering $550 million (RMB3.55 billion), “Hi, Mom,” which earned $422 million (RMB2.72 billion), and “A Writer’s Odyssey,” which made $83.7 million (RMB540 million), according to Alibaba’s Beacon industry data tracker.
The soaring figures “indicate not only that the industry is warming up again, but also that with the effective prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s box office this year could reach new highs,” the Beijing News celebrated cheerfully in a commentary.
It marked the first time in Chinese film history that the country’s single-day box office exceeded RMB1 billion ($155 million) for five consecutive days. More than 160 million viewers attended more than 2.9 million screenings, setting new records for attendance during the holiday.
The top three films were “Detective Chinatown 3,” which grossed an eye-watering $550 million (RMB3.55 billion), “Hi, Mom,” which earned $422 million (RMB2.72 billion), and “A Writer’s Odyssey,” which made $83.7 million (RMB540 million), according to Alibaba’s Beacon industry data tracker.
The soaring figures “indicate not only that the industry is warming up again, but also that with the effective prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s box office this year could reach new highs,” the Beijing News celebrated cheerfully in a commentary.
- 2/18/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Movie industry shares soared in Hong Kong on Tuesday in response to the bumper revenues being earned at the mainland China box office over the Chinese New Year holidays.
Leading the gains were Imax China and Alibaba Pictures, both of which have direct stakes in the box office boom. Imax China stock climbed by 31% to Hk$18.36 per share at the close of trading. Alibaba Pictures managed an even greater 35% jump to Hk$1.44 per share.
Mainland China stock markets remain closed until Thursday due to the continuing holiday period. That means there was no trade in the stocks of other companies involved in the box office scramble: Huayi Brothers (“Yin Yang Master”), Enlight Media (“Endgame”), Wanda Film (China’s largest exhibition chain and producer of “Detective Chinatown”) and exhibitor and distributor China Film Group.
With last Friday the biggest grossing single day in Chinese box office history, worth RMB1.45 billion ($245 million...
Leading the gains were Imax China and Alibaba Pictures, both of which have direct stakes in the box office boom. Imax China stock climbed by 31% to Hk$18.36 per share at the close of trading. Alibaba Pictures managed an even greater 35% jump to Hk$1.44 per share.
Mainland China stock markets remain closed until Thursday due to the continuing holiday period. That means there was no trade in the stocks of other companies involved in the box office scramble: Huayi Brothers (“Yin Yang Master”), Enlight Media (“Endgame”), Wanda Film (China’s largest exhibition chain and producer of “Detective Chinatown”) and exhibitor and distributor China Film Group.
With last Friday the biggest grossing single day in Chinese box office history, worth RMB1.45 billion ($245 million...
- 2/16/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The third ‘Detective Chinatown’ film took $397m in China.
Detective Chinatown 3 stuns with $397m China debut
Wanda Pictures’ Detective Chinatown 3 has delivered the biggest ever opening weekend number in a single territory thanks to its $397m debut in China over the new year holiday weekend. That beats the Avengers: Endgame’s $357m North America launch in April 2019 – previously the biggest opening in a single market.
Detective Chinatown 3 has already overtaken the total box office for the first film in the series ($122m in 2015) and is well on the way to passing Detective Chinatown 2’s total haul...
Detective Chinatown 3 stuns with $397m China debut
Wanda Pictures’ Detective Chinatown 3 has delivered the biggest ever opening weekend number in a single territory thanks to its $397m debut in China over the new year holiday weekend. That beats the Avengers: Endgame’s $357m North America launch in April 2019 – previously the biggest opening in a single market.
Detective Chinatown 3 has already overtaken the total box office for the first film in the series ($122m in 2015) and is well on the way to passing Detective Chinatown 2’s total haul...
- 2/15/2021
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
China made history this weekend with record ticket sales of nearly $775 million (RMB5.0 billion) within the first three days of the Chinese New Year holiday, led by an incredible $424 million (RMB2.74 billion) debut from “Detective Chinatown 3.”
This marked the first time the country’s national box office has ever broken RMB1 billion ($155 million) a day for three consecutive days, a feat achieved despite caps on max theater capacity at 75% in most of the country and 50% in areas particularly at risk for Covid-19, such as the Beijing-adjacent Hebei province.
More than 55 million individual tickets were purchased at an average price of $7.74 (RMB50) for director Chen Sicheng’s long-awaited third installment to the “Detective Chinatown” franchise — with ticket prices much higher than the average $5.40 (RMB35) seen at other times of year reflecting the high demand. It accounted for an average of 42% of all screenings in the country over the weekend.
To...
This marked the first time the country’s national box office has ever broken RMB1 billion ($155 million) a day for three consecutive days, a feat achieved despite caps on max theater capacity at 75% in most of the country and 50% in areas particularly at risk for Covid-19, such as the Beijing-adjacent Hebei province.
More than 55 million individual tickets were purchased at an average price of $7.74 (RMB50) for director Chen Sicheng’s long-awaited third installment to the “Detective Chinatown” franchise — with ticket prices much higher than the average $5.40 (RMB35) seen at other times of year reflecting the high demand. It accounted for an average of 42% of all screenings in the country over the weekend.
To...
- 2/14/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
‘Detective Chinatown 3’ Opens to $393 Million in China, Breaks ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Box Office Record
One year after theaters throughout China were closed by Covid-19, the box office has exploded thanks in large part to the long-awaited “Detective Chinatown 3,” which earned a record-breaking $393 million opening based on early estimates by Maoyan.
That start is the highest-ever opening weekend earned by a film in a single market, topping the $356 million earned by “Avengers: Endgame” in the U.S. on its opening weekend in 2019. “Detective Chinatown 3” also took the single-day record with $160 million earned on Friday, topping the $157.4 million earned on opening day by “Endgame” in the U.S.
While “Detective Chinatown 3” is not likely to challenge the all-time global record of $2.79 billion for “Endgame,” it is well on pace to pass the Marvel blockbuster’s Chinese total of $679 million. It is unclear, however, whether it will be able to challenge the $874 million Chinese box office record held by the 2017 film “Wolf Warrior 2,...
That start is the highest-ever opening weekend earned by a film in a single market, topping the $356 million earned by “Avengers: Endgame” in the U.S. on its opening weekend in 2019. “Detective Chinatown 3” also took the single-day record with $160 million earned on Friday, topping the $157.4 million earned on opening day by “Endgame” in the U.S.
While “Detective Chinatown 3” is not likely to challenge the all-time global record of $2.79 billion for “Endgame,” it is well on pace to pass the Marvel blockbuster’s Chinese total of $679 million. It is unclear, however, whether it will be able to challenge the $874 million Chinese box office record held by the 2017 film “Wolf Warrior 2,...
- 2/14/2021
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Despite approaching the end of its third month in theaters, Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s “The Croods: A New Age” is in a narrow race to take back the top spot at the pandemic box office with Warner Bros.’ “Judas and the Black Messiah,” with both films making around $2 million this weekend.
While the winner won’t be determined until final totals come in for Presidents’ Day weekend on Tuesday, “Croods: A New Age” for now is claiming the No. 1 spot, reporting a total of $2.04 million over three days and $2.66 million over four days from 1,890 screens. If it holds on to No. 1, it would be the first time “Croods 2” has topped the charts since the weekend of Dec. 11, when the film was beginning its run on premium video on-demand. With this result, “Croods 2” now has a global total of $151 million, with just under $49 million from domestic theaters.
“Judas and the Black Messiah...
While the winner won’t be determined until final totals come in for Presidents’ Day weekend on Tuesday, “Croods: A New Age” for now is claiming the No. 1 spot, reporting a total of $2.04 million over three days and $2.66 million over four days from 1,890 screens. If it holds on to No. 1, it would be the first time “Croods 2” has topped the charts since the weekend of Dec. 11, when the film was beginning its run on premium video on-demand. With this result, “Croods 2” now has a global total of $151 million, with just under $49 million from domestic theaters.
“Judas and the Black Messiah...
- 2/14/2021
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The world’s largest film market is living up to its title with world-record-setting sales. “Detective Chinatown 3” shot past strong competition, as predicted, on its Chinese New Year opening day on Friday, notching a record-breaking $163 million (RMB1.05 billion) in sales despite poor word of mouth.
The sum marks the highest ever opening day tally for a film in a single market, beating out former title-holder “Avengers: Endgame,” which grossed $157 million in North America on its first day in 2019.
“Detective Chinatown” sales on Friday accounted for more than 60% of China’s total new year’s day box office nationwide, which surpassed that of 2019 at $268 million (RMB1.73 billion).
The massive commercial success of director Chen Sicheng’s comedic mystery also propelled Imax to new heights. As of Friday evening local time, the firm “very confidently” projected full-day China earnings of $7.7 million from three films, 18% more than on Chinese New Year’s...
The sum marks the highest ever opening day tally for a film in a single market, beating out former title-holder “Avengers: Endgame,” which grossed $157 million in North America on its first day in 2019.
“Detective Chinatown” sales on Friday accounted for more than 60% of China’s total new year’s day box office nationwide, which surpassed that of 2019 at $268 million (RMB1.73 billion).
The massive commercial success of director Chen Sicheng’s comedic mystery also propelled Imax to new heights. As of Friday evening local time, the firm “very confidently” projected full-day China earnings of $7.7 million from three films, 18% more than on Chinese New Year’s...
- 2/12/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
This month’s Chinese New Year holidays will be a litmus test for the strength of China’s film industry recovery following a period of unprecedented turmoil.
This time last year, China’s wrecked Spring Festival celebrations were emblematic of the coronavirus crisis that had dramatically engulfed the world’s most populous nation and was soon to become a global pandemic. Emergency hospitals were being hastily erected in Wuhan, lockdowns had spread nationwide and businesses had little idea when they would reopen.
For China’s cinemas, the annual 10-day holiday — which shifts between January and February depending on the year — is usually an unparalleled boom time that accounts for 10%-15% of annual gross revenues. Holiday box office in 2019 hit record levels of RMB5.8 billion ($892 million), according to ticketing agency Maoyan. But in 2020, it was zero.
Since January, China’s state media has been carefully managing expectations downward, with reports quoting...
This time last year, China’s wrecked Spring Festival celebrations were emblematic of the coronavirus crisis that had dramatically engulfed the world’s most populous nation and was soon to become a global pandemic. Emergency hospitals were being hastily erected in Wuhan, lockdowns had spread nationwide and businesses had little idea when they would reopen.
For China’s cinemas, the annual 10-day holiday — which shifts between January and February depending on the year — is usually an unparalleled boom time that accounts for 10%-15% of annual gross revenues. Holiday box office in 2019 hit record levels of RMB5.8 billion ($892 million), according to ticketing agency Maoyan. But in 2020, it was zero.
Since January, China’s state media has been carefully managing expectations downward, with reports quoting...
- 2/9/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
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