Imax is to extend its partnerships in China and Thailand, expanding its growing presence in Asia with several new screens.
In China, the large-screen exhibitor has teamed with Bona Film Group to launch three new Imax with Laser systems, which are set to begin operation in 2026. The two companies have partnered since 2012 and this will bring the total number of Imax locations with Bona Film Group to 36. It marks the first deal between the two since the Covid pandemic.
In Thailand, Imax will launch a further three locations through its partnership with Major Cineplex. The deal will add Laser systems...
In China, the large-screen exhibitor has teamed with Bona Film Group to launch three new Imax with Laser systems, which are set to begin operation in 2026. The two companies have partnered since 2012 and this will bring the total number of Imax locations with Bona Film Group to 36. It marks the first deal between the two since the Covid pandemic.
In Thailand, Imax will launch a further three locations through its partnership with Major Cineplex. The deal will add Laser systems...
- 4/9/2024
- ScreenDaily
The China Pavilion has set up shop in the middle of this year’s Hong Kong Filmart for the third year running as it aims to share the story of the evolution of the country’s film industry.
Organizers the China Film Co-production Corporation (Cfcc) have brought data with them, they say reflects that there are more international hits coming out of China, while the demographics back home continue to expand in terms of content and of audience.
“We hope to fully present the latest performance of the Chinese film industry through the China Film Pavilion and promote exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign film industries,” a Cfcc spokesperson said.
The past 12 months has seen several Chinese films go on wide international release, led by The Wandering Earth II, the sci-fi epic drawn from the world of acclaimed writer Liu Cixin. The Frant Gwo-directed film was released simultaneously in eight countries — the U.
Organizers the China Film Co-production Corporation (Cfcc) have brought data with them, they say reflects that there are more international hits coming out of China, while the demographics back home continue to expand in terms of content and of audience.
“We hope to fully present the latest performance of the Chinese film industry through the China Film Pavilion and promote exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign film industries,” a Cfcc spokesperson said.
The past 12 months has seen several Chinese films go on wide international release, led by The Wandering Earth II, the sci-fi epic drawn from the world of acclaimed writer Liu Cixin. The Frant Gwo-directed film was released simultaneously in eight countries — the U.
- 3/12/2024
- by Mathew Scott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Every year since its creation in 1956, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) invites the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The category was previously called the Best Foreign Language Film, but this was changed in April 2019 to Best International Feature Film, after the Academy deemed the word “Foreign” to be outdated.
The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue. For the 96th Academy Awards, the submitted motion pictures must be first released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline for submissions to the Academy was October 2, 2023, and 92 countries submitted a film. The 15-film shortlist will be announced on December 21, 2023, followed by the official nominations on January 23, 2024.
Here are this edition's Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film.
The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue. For the 96th Academy Awards, the submitted motion pictures must be first released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline for submissions to the Academy was October 2, 2023, and 92 countries submitted a film. The 15-film shortlist will be announced on December 21, 2023, followed by the official nominations on January 23, 2024.
Here are this edition's Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film.
- 12/11/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
“Jaw-droppingly epic” Digital Spy
“The mother of all blockbusters” Filmhounds Magazine
“A stunning sci-fi epic” Eastern Film Fans
“Hugely entertaining” Invincible Asia
“A nail-biting and thrilling ride” Morning Star
Boasting incredible and epic visuals, this stunning interstellar blockbuster is a fresh prequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time, a $700m box office success, and Netflix global smash hit. Based on the popular novella by science fiction author Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth II is a true sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Frant Gwo (The Sacrifice) and starring Andy Lau and Wu Jing.
In the near future, the sun is rapidly expanding and will engulf the earth within 100 years. To ensure the survival of humankind, nations join hands to form an unprecedented, ambitious global project to build powerful engines on the earth’s surface and propel the planet away from impending doom. Meanwhile, protests have broken out to...
“The mother of all blockbusters” Filmhounds Magazine
“A stunning sci-fi epic” Eastern Film Fans
“Hugely entertaining” Invincible Asia
“A nail-biting and thrilling ride” Morning Star
Boasting incredible and epic visuals, this stunning interstellar blockbuster is a fresh prequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time, a $700m box office success, and Netflix global smash hit. Based on the popular novella by science fiction author Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth II is a true sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Frant Gwo (The Sacrifice) and starring Andy Lau and Wu Jing.
In the near future, the sun is rapidly expanding and will engulf the earth within 100 years. To ensure the survival of humankind, nations join hands to form an unprecedented, ambitious global project to build powerful engines on the earth’s surface and propel the planet away from impending doom. Meanwhile, protests have broken out to...
- 11/7/2023
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Oscar voters in the Best International Feature Film category have received their group assignments for this year’s initial round of voting, with 89 films included on the seven lists that the Academy has sent to members.
The lists, which were obtained by TheWrap, include presumed favorites “The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom), “The Taste of Things” (France), “The Promised Land” (Denmark) and “Perfect Days” (Japan), along with a number of documentaries, among them Estonia’s “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood,” Brazil’s “Pictures of Ghosts” and Ukraine’s “20 Days in Mariupol.”
The 89 films are four short of the record of 93 qualifying films in the category. The list of group assignments does not make up the Academy’s official list of eligible films; it’s possible that assigned films might still fail to qualify before first-round voting begins on Dec. 18. For the most part, though, films that are included in the group...
The lists, which were obtained by TheWrap, include presumed favorites “The Zone of Interest” (United Kingdom), “The Taste of Things” (France), “The Promised Land” (Denmark) and “Perfect Days” (Japan), along with a number of documentaries, among them Estonia’s “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood,” Brazil’s “Pictures of Ghosts” and Ukraine’s “20 Days in Mariupol.”
The 89 films are four short of the record of 93 qualifying films in the category. The list of group assignments does not make up the Academy’s official list of eligible films; it’s possible that assigned films might still fail to qualify before first-round voting begins on Dec. 18. For the most part, though, films that are included in the group...
- 10/31/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Screen is profiling every submission for best international feature at the 96th Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
Entries for the 2024 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
The 96th Academy Awards is set to take place on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture (over 40 minutes) produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50%) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between December 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023. The deadline...
- 10/30/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
China’s The Wandering Earth 2 and Pakistan’s In Flames were added to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ members-only streaming service, Academy Screening Room, on Friday, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. This means that these are the respective countries’ official selections for the 2024 Oscars in the best international feature film category.
2019’s The Wandering Earth was directed by Frant Gwo and was loosely based on the 2000 short story of the same name. It became China’s fifth highest-grossing film of all time. The prequel was released in January.
China has submitted more than 20 films for an Oscar since 1979, with two going on to receive a nomination. Both were directed by Zhang Yimou. A Chinese film has not won an Academy Award in the international feature film category.
In Flames is written and directed by Zarrar Kahn and had its North American premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
2019’s The Wandering Earth was directed by Frant Gwo and was loosely based on the 2000 short story of the same name. It became China’s fifth highest-grossing film of all time. The prequel was released in January.
China has submitted more than 20 films for an Oscar since 1979, with two going on to receive a nomination. Both were directed by Zhang Yimou. A Chinese film has not won an Academy Award in the international feature film category.
In Flames is written and directed by Zarrar Kahn and had its North American premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
- 10/27/2023
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TIFF has begun announcing their Conversation With… (Icw) series for this year’s fest with Oscar winner Pedro Almodóvar, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau and Concrete Utopia Korean stars Lee Byung-hun and Park
Seo-jun set to sit down for chats.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel
transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
Almodóvar is already set to receive TIFF’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media this year at the fest’s Tribute Awards. His short, Strange Way of Life, which played at Cannes, will also make its North American premiere at TIFF. Short follows the relationship between a sheriff (Ethan Hawke) and a rancher
(Pedro Pascal) and their shared past.
Concrete Utopia stars...
Seo-jun set to sit down for chats.
“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel
transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”
Almodóvar is already set to receive TIFF’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media this year at the fest’s Tribute Awards. His short, Strange Way of Life, which played at Cannes, will also make its North American premiere at TIFF. Short follows the relationship between a sheriff (Ethan Hawke) and a rancher
(Pedro Pascal) and their shared past.
Concrete Utopia stars...
- 8/11/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After a golden age in the 1980s, Chinese filmmakers were quietly discouraged from dabbling in the sci-fi genre – it isn’t real science and authorities did not want youngsters to get confused. That stance changed during the last decade and the Shanghai International Film Festival has just hosted its first sci-fi week, comprising nearly a dozen film screenings and a trio of panel discussions featuring the new luminaries in the sector.
Reasons for the revised position of China’s authorities are not hard to understand. Not only was Hollywood getting away with dominating a genre that was popular with Chinese audiences, China in the 21st century has become a global technology powerhouse. Its space program, in particular, is now among the most advanced, capable of a normalized rocket launch schedule, international co-operation and lunar and interplanetary missions.
“A great sci-fi film can successfully arouse people’s curiosity to explore the...
Reasons for the revised position of China’s authorities are not hard to understand. Not only was Hollywood getting away with dominating a genre that was popular with Chinese audiences, China in the 21st century has become a global technology powerhouse. Its space program, in particular, is now among the most advanced, capable of a normalized rocket launch schedule, international co-operation and lunar and interplanetary missions.
“A great sci-fi film can successfully arouse people’s curiosity to explore the...
- 6/19/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Considering the huge box office success of the initial film, it is no surprise that a sequel would soon arrive, with Frant Gwo continuing the saga based on Liu CIxin's short story, with a prequel this time.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The story begins in the early days of the Moving Mountain Project, with a coalition of the world's nations having decided to place huge machines in strategic locations around the Earth in order to move the planet away from the dying Sun, while additional ones in the Moon are to move that planet away from Earth, in order for the latter to avoid the former's gravitational pull. While all this will be happening, a number of the population will be placed in underground facilities, which leave, though, a large part of the planet's inhabitants simply to die. Expectedly, strikes and riots...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The story begins in the early days of the Moving Mountain Project, with a coalition of the world's nations having decided to place huge machines in strategic locations around the Earth in order to move the planet away from the dying Sun, while additional ones in the Moon are to move that planet away from Earth, in order for the latter to avoid the former's gravitational pull. While all this will be happening, a number of the population will be placed in underground facilities, which leave, though, a large part of the planet's inhabitants simply to die. Expectedly, strikes and riots...
- 5/11/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
M Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller knocked ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ off the number one spot in North America.
World box office February 3-5 RankFilm (distributor)3-day (world) Cume (world)3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. The Wandering Earth 2 (various) 57.2m 501.5m 57.2m 498m 6 2. Full River Red (various) 50.2m 586.6m 50.2m 586.6m 2 3. Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) 38.7m 2.17bn 27.9m 1.54bn 61 4. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Universal) 25.1m 368.6m 17.1m 217.3m 81 5. Knock At The Cabin (Universal) 21.2m 21.2m 7m 17m 61 6. Boonie Bears: The Guardian Code (various) 21.1m 185.3m 21.1m 185.3m 1 7. BTS: Yet To Come In Cinemas...
World box office February 3-5 RankFilm (distributor)3-day (world) Cume (world)3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. The Wandering Earth 2 (various) 57.2m 501.5m 57.2m 498m 6 2. Full River Red (various) 50.2m 586.6m 50.2m 586.6m 2 3. Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) 38.7m 2.17bn 27.9m 1.54bn 61 4. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Universal) 25.1m 368.6m 17.1m 217.3m 81 5. Knock At The Cabin (Universal) 21.2m 21.2m 7m 17m 61 6. Boonie Bears: The Guardian Code (various) 21.1m 185.3m 21.1m 185.3m 1 7. BTS: Yet To Come In Cinemas...
- 2/6/2023
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
The Hindi-language thriller made 41.8m in its first five days in India.
World box office January 27-29 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Full River Red (various) 144.3m 466m 144.3m 466m 1 2. The Wandering Earth 2 (various) 106.2m 382.7m 104.9m 380m 7 3. Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) 58.1m 2.12bn 42.4m 1.5bn 53 4. Pathaan (various) 53.8m 67.8m 47.9m 59.3m 100 5. Boonie Bears: Guardian Code (various) 43.7m 136.4m 43.7m 136.4m 1 6. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Universal) 25m 334.1m 14.3m 193.3m 80 7. Hidden Blade (various) 22.3m 85.8m 22.3m 85.8m 1 8. Deep Sea (various) 21.5m 66.6m 21.5m 66.6m 1 9. M3GAN (Universal...
World box office January 27-29 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Full River Red (various) 144.3m 466m 144.3m 466m 1 2. The Wandering Earth 2 (various) 106.2m 382.7m 104.9m 380m 7 3. Avatar: The Way Of Water (Disney) 58.1m 2.12bn 42.4m 1.5bn 53 4. Pathaan (various) 53.8m 67.8m 47.9m 59.3m 100 5. Boonie Bears: Guardian Code (various) 43.7m 136.4m 43.7m 136.4m 1 6. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Universal) 25m 334.1m 14.3m 193.3m 80 7. Hidden Blade (various) 22.3m 85.8m 22.3m 85.8m 1 8. Deep Sea (various) 21.5m 66.6m 21.5m 66.6m 1 9. M3GAN (Universal...
- 1/30/2023
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
Cinema box office in mainland China came close to record levels over the Lunar New Year period with RMB6.76 billion of gross revenue – or just fractions short of 1 billion – in a week.
Chinese state media reported the local currency number for a period covering Saturday to Friday 21-27 Jan.
That compared with the figure of RMB7.82 billion in 2021, a year in which Chinese cinemas were operating normally and the country overtook North America as the world’s largest theatrical market.
The Lunar New Year period in 2022, which occurred before last year’s return of massively disruptive Covid-prevention measures, was worth RMB6.04 according to Chinese state media, citing the China Film Administration.
Unusually, data for the latest Friday to Sunday weekend includes one day that was officially a holiday (Friday) followed by two quieter weekend days. But the rankings are representative of the wider Lunar New Year period, and the cumulative...
Chinese state media reported the local currency number for a period covering Saturday to Friday 21-27 Jan.
That compared with the figure of RMB7.82 billion in 2021, a year in which Chinese cinemas were operating normally and the country overtook North America as the world’s largest theatrical market.
The Lunar New Year period in 2022, which occurred before last year’s return of massively disruptive Covid-prevention measures, was worth RMB6.04 according to Chinese state media, citing the China Film Administration.
Unusually, data for the latest Friday to Sunday weekend includes one day that was officially a holiday (Friday) followed by two quieter weekend days. But the rankings are representative of the wider Lunar New Year period, and the cumulative...
- 1/30/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Wu Jing, Wang Zhi, Andy Lau, Zina Blahusova, Clara Lee, Liya Tong, Matias Lorieri, Jeremiah Blakely, Temur Mamisashvili, Yanmanzi Zhu | Written by Gong Geer, Frant Gwo, Cixin Liu, Hongwei Wang, Ruchang Ye, Yang Zhixue | Directed by Frant Gwo
Released in 2019 The Wandering Earth became one of the largest grossing non-English language films in history, mostly on the strength of its performance in its native China. Of course, that made The Wandering Earth II inevitable. The only surprises are that rather than a sequel it’s a prequel, telling the story of the Moving Mountain Project that turned Earth into a giant spaceship and that it manages to be even longer than the original, coming in at just under three hours.
At the film’s start, The United Earth Government (Ueg) has been established and work on the first of the thousands of giant engines needed to move Earth out...
Released in 2019 The Wandering Earth became one of the largest grossing non-English language films in history, mostly on the strength of its performance in its native China. Of course, that made The Wandering Earth II inevitable. The only surprises are that rather than a sequel it’s a prequel, telling the story of the Moving Mountain Project that turned Earth into a giant spaceship and that it manages to be even longer than the original, coming in at just under three hours.
At the film’s start, The United Earth Government (Ueg) has been established and work on the first of the thousands of giant engines needed to move Earth out...
- 1/25/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Considering the huge box office success of the initial film, it is no surprise that a sequel would soon arrive, with Frant Gwo continuing the saga based on Liu CIxin’s short story, with a prequel this time.
The Wandering Earth 2 is screening in the US exclusively in Theaters and IMAX Starting January 22, courtesy of Wellgo USA, and in UK & Irish cinemas for Chinese New Year, 27th January, courtesy of Trinity Asia.
The story begins in the early days of the Moving Mountain Project, with a coalition of the world’s nations having decided to place huge machines in strategic locations around the Earth in order to move the planet away from the dying Sun, while additional ones in the Moon are to move that planet away from Earth, in order for the latter to avoid the former’s gravitational pull. While all this will be happening, a number...
The Wandering Earth 2 is screening in the US exclusively in Theaters and IMAX Starting January 22, courtesy of Wellgo USA, and in UK & Irish cinemas for Chinese New Year, 27th January, courtesy of Trinity Asia.
The story begins in the early days of the Moving Mountain Project, with a coalition of the world’s nations having decided to place huge machines in strategic locations around the Earth in order to move the planet away from the dying Sun, while additional ones in the Moon are to move that planet away from Earth, in order for the latter to avoid the former’s gravitational pull. While all this will be happening, a number...
- 1/25/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Frant Gwo’s follow-up to his 2019 mega-hit favours special effects and set pieces over performances, as the human race battles for survival
A gargantuan success in 2019, Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth remains one of the highest grossing non-English films of all time. This hotly anticipated prequel, even more ambitious in scope, follows the catastrophic events leading up to the Earth leaving the solar system in the original hit.
At nearly three hours long, The Wandering Earth II is packed with expository science talk, which gets more convoluted and tiring as the clock ticks on. The gist of the matter is, in the face of imminent ecological disasters, an internationally consolidated government body has hatched a solution to alter the orbit of our planet. It also involves blowing up the moon. As well as resistance from (mostly) western countries, the decades-spanning enterprise is also routinely sabotaged by the rival Digital Life Project,...
A gargantuan success in 2019, Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth remains one of the highest grossing non-English films of all time. This hotly anticipated prequel, even more ambitious in scope, follows the catastrophic events leading up to the Earth leaving the solar system in the original hit.
At nearly three hours long, The Wandering Earth II is packed with expository science talk, which gets more convoluted and tiring as the clock ticks on. The gist of the matter is, in the face of imminent ecological disasters, an internationally consolidated government body has hatched a solution to alter the orbit of our planet. It also involves blowing up the moon. As well as resistance from (mostly) western countries, the decades-spanning enterprise is also routinely sabotaged by the rival Digital Life Project,...
- 1/24/2023
- by Phuong Le
- The Guardian - Film News
Refresh for latest…: It’s now official, James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has become the sixth movie ever to cross the 2B mark worldwide. It is also the filmmaker’s third to hit the milestone, alongside Titanic and the original Avatar.
The mega-achievement was presaged ahead of the weekend with the global gross on the 20th Century Studios/Disney sequel now 2.024B through Sunday. That includes 1.426B from overseas turnstiles. This means that offshore, Way of Water has become the No. 4 title of all time, jumping past Avengers: Infinity War and behind only Avatar, Avengers: Endgame and Titanic. This gives Cameron bragging rights to three of the top four movies ever at the international box office.
On a worldwide basis, Way of Water remains the No. 6 film ever, with the Na’vi next set on leap-frogging Infinity War and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. When that happens later this week,...
The mega-achievement was presaged ahead of the weekend with the global gross on the 20th Century Studios/Disney sequel now 2.024B through Sunday. That includes 1.426B from overseas turnstiles. This means that offshore, Way of Water has become the No. 4 title of all time, jumping past Avengers: Infinity War and behind only Avatar, Avengers: Endgame and Titanic. This gives Cameron bragging rights to three of the top four movies ever at the international box office.
On a worldwide basis, Way of Water remains the No. 6 film ever, with the Na’vi next set on leap-frogging Infinity War and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. When that happens later this week,...
- 1/22/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Synopsis: In the near future, the sun is rapidly expanding and will engulf the earth within 100 years. To ensure the survival of humankind, nations join hands to form an unprecedented, ambitious global project to build powerful engines on the earth’s surface and propel the planet away from impending doom. Meanwhile, protests have broken out to demand the restart of the controversial Digital Life Project, which digitalises human beings after they have passed. Tensions soon escalate and the protestors plan to sabotage the Wandering Earth Project by attacking the Ark Space Station…
Boasting incredible and epic visuals, this stunning interstellar blockbuster is a fresh prequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time, a 700m box office success, and Netflix global smash hit. Based on the popular novella by science fiction author Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth II is a true sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Frant Gwo...
Boasting incredible and epic visuals, this stunning interstellar blockbuster is a fresh prequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time, a 700m box office success, and Netflix global smash hit. Based on the popular novella by science fiction author Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth II is a true sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Frant Gwo...
- 1/21/2023
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Beijing, Jan. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Announced by Cmc Pictures, The Wandering Earth 2, the sequel to the China’s Highest Grossing Sci-Fi Film which has earned nearly 700 million dollars in box office worldwide, has set its release date in Australia & New Zealand on January 22, same as mainland China.
The Wandering Earth 2 is based on a novel of Cixin Liu, one of the most renowned Sci-Fi authors in China for his best-selling book The Three Body Problem, which has been adapted into a TV series helmed by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (Producers of the Game Of Thrones) and about to be on air on Netflix in 2023.
The film is again directed by Frant Gwo, starring by Wu Jing, Li XueJian, Sha Yi, Ning Li, Wang Zhi, Zhuyan Manzi, special starring by Andy Lau. Director Frant Gwo said that The Wandering Earth 2 was not only shot in China, but also took place in Iceland,...
The Wandering Earth 2 is based on a novel of Cixin Liu, one of the most renowned Sci-Fi authors in China for his best-selling book The Three Body Problem, which has been adapted into a TV series helmed by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (Producers of the Game Of Thrones) and about to be on air on Netflix in 2023.
The film is again directed by Frant Gwo, starring by Wu Jing, Li XueJian, Sha Yi, Ning Li, Wang Zhi, Zhuyan Manzi, special starring by Andy Lau. Director Frant Gwo said that The Wandering Earth 2 was not only shot in China, but also took place in Iceland,...
- 1/14/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Cmc Pictures is to give a 40-screen (30 venue) launch in Australia and New Zealand to “The Wandering Earth 2,” a sci-fi film that is expected to be one of the largest Chinese movies of the year.
It will launch in Australia and New Zealand on Jan. 22, the first full day of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday and coincide with its release in mainland Chinese theaters.
The film is a prequel to “The Wandering Earth,” that grossed some 700 million and broke new ground for Chinese cinema which had previously enjoyed little success with locally-made sci-fi titles.
In the near future, after learning that the sun is rapidly burning out and will obliterate Earth in the process, humans build enormous engines to propel the planet to a new solar system, far out of reach of the sun’s fiery flares. However, the journey out into the universe is perilous, and humankind’s...
It will launch in Australia and New Zealand on Jan. 22, the first full day of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday and coincide with its release in mainland Chinese theaters.
The film is a prequel to “The Wandering Earth,” that grossed some 700 million and broke new ground for Chinese cinema which had previously enjoyed little success with locally-made sci-fi titles.
In the near future, after learning that the sun is rapidly burning out and will obliterate Earth in the process, humans build enormous engines to propel the planet to a new solar system, far out of reach of the sun’s fiery flares. However, the journey out into the universe is perilous, and humankind’s...
- 1/13/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Trinity CineAsia has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Chinese sci-fi epic The Wandering Earth 2, which is scheduled for release on January 27, with previews running from January 22, day-and-date with its mainland China release.
The prequel to record-breaking sci-fi hit The Wandering Earth is being released in China over the Chinese New Year holidays (January 21-27), traditionally the country’s most lucrative box office period.
Released in 2019, The Wandering Earth grossed 700M worldwide, including 6M at the US box office. The film is currently the fifth highest grossing in Chinese box office history and was streamed on Netflix in 190 countries in 2019.
While the first film saw humanity moving the earth away from a dying sun, the prequel follows the struggle to build huge engines on the planet’s surface to help the human race find a new home. The two films are based on a short novel by acclaimed sci-fi author Liu Cixin,...
The prequel to record-breaking sci-fi hit The Wandering Earth is being released in China over the Chinese New Year holidays (January 21-27), traditionally the country’s most lucrative box office period.
Released in 2019, The Wandering Earth grossed 700M worldwide, including 6M at the US box office. The film is currently the fifth highest grossing in Chinese box office history and was streamed on Netflix in 190 countries in 2019.
While the first film saw humanity moving the earth away from a dying sun, the prequel follows the struggle to build huge engines on the planet’s surface to help the human race find a new home. The two films are based on a short novel by acclaimed sci-fi author Liu Cixin,...
- 1/12/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
The Wandering Earth 2, the sequel to the Chinese sci-fi blockbuster that earned 700 million in 2019, is charting a course for North America, thanks to a deal inked by distributor Well Go USA. The specialty label has acquired the domestic theatrical rights to the film and set it up for a day-and-date release with China on Jan. 22, the first day of the Chinese New Year. Well Go says it will launch The Wandering Earth 2 in over 125 North American theaters, including 30 Imax screens.
The Wandering Earth 2 is a prequel to the 2019 hit film and like it’s predecessor, it is based on the short story of the same name by Chinese sci-fi author Liu Cixin, world renowned for his best-selling novel The Three Body Problem. The film is again written and directed by Frant Gwo (better known in China as Guo Fan), with Chinese action hero Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior 2) reprising his starring...
The Wandering Earth 2 is a prequel to the 2019 hit film and like it’s predecessor, it is based on the short story of the same name by Chinese sci-fi author Liu Cixin, world renowned for his best-selling novel The Three Body Problem. The film is again written and directed by Frant Gwo (better known in China as Guo Fan), with Chinese action hero Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior 2) reprising his starring...
- 1/10/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The sun is about to be destroyed so the human race decides to build a huge propulsion system on the surface of the Earth to allow them to go in search of a new home. However, the universe is full of perils and in order to save the Earth, the young people of the era must once again step forward to start the battle for life and death. (Source: Far East Films)
This sci-fi action thriller, a prequel to 2019’s blockbuster The Wandering Earth, secures the highly coveted Chinese New Year release on January 22, 2023.
The first movie, which to date ranks as China’s fifth highest grossing movie of all time, is based on novelist-producer Liu Cixin’s short story of the same name. Both director-writer Frant Gwo and lead actor Wu Jing return to the cast and crew. Joining them are Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau...
This sci-fi action thriller, a prequel to 2019’s blockbuster The Wandering Earth, secures the highly coveted Chinese New Year release on January 22, 2023.
The first movie, which to date ranks as China’s fifth highest grossing movie of all time, is based on novelist-producer Liu Cixin’s short story of the same name. Both director-writer Frant Gwo and lead actor Wu Jing return to the cast and crew. Joining them are Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau...
- 1/2/2023
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Chloe Bailey Boards AGC Studio’s Wall Street Drama ‘Midas Touch’
Musician and actor Chloe Bailey (Grown-ish) has signed on to star in the Wall Street drama Midas Touch from AGC Studios. The flick follows the true story of Lauren Simmons, the youngest equity trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and only the second African American woman to hold that position. Bailey will star as Simmons in the pic, which will be directed by Numa Perrier (The Perfect Find). Simmons is an executive producer on the film, as are AGC’s Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, and Glendon Palmer. CAA negotiated on behalf of Bailey and AGC’s SVP of Legal & Business Affairs, Anant Tamirisa, and Palmer negotiated on behalf of AGC.
‘The Pact’ Producer Little Door Expands With Drama Hires
The Welsh indie behind BBC drama The Pact, Little Door Productions, has hired Sherlock and Baker...
Musician and actor Chloe Bailey (Grown-ish) has signed on to star in the Wall Street drama Midas Touch from AGC Studios. The flick follows the true story of Lauren Simmons, the youngest equity trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and only the second African American woman to hold that position. Bailey will star as Simmons in the pic, which will be directed by Numa Perrier (The Perfect Find). Simmons is an executive producer on the film, as are AGC’s Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, and Glendon Palmer. CAA negotiated on behalf of Bailey and AGC’s SVP of Legal & Business Affairs, Anant Tamirisa, and Palmer negotiated on behalf of AGC.
‘The Pact’ Producer Little Door Expands With Drama Hires
The Welsh indie behind BBC drama The Pact, Little Door Productions, has hired Sherlock and Baker...
- 11/15/2022
- by Zac Ntim, Jesse Whittock and Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
The sequel to China’s first sci-fi blockbuster being positioned as a must-watch tentpole.
The highly anticipated sequel to Chinese sci-fi blockbuster The Wandering Earth is being readied for a Chinese New Year release, defying a recent trend of last-minute approvals.
Despite the timing of the release having previously been indicated, the date was reconfirmed at a press conference during the national Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival in the coastal Chinese city of Xiamen, underscoring the Chinese authorities’ commitment to positioning the film as a must-watch tentpole.
The Wandering Earth 2 is set to open on the first day...
The highly anticipated sequel to Chinese sci-fi blockbuster The Wandering Earth is being readied for a Chinese New Year release, defying a recent trend of last-minute approvals.
Despite the timing of the release having previously been indicated, the date was reconfirmed at a press conference during the national Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival in the coastal Chinese city of Xiamen, underscoring the Chinese authorities’ commitment to positioning the film as a must-watch tentpole.
The Wandering Earth 2 is set to open on the first day...
- 11/14/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Most Notorious Chinese Blockbusters Of All Time
Are you a fan of Chinese films? If so, you are probably familiar with the country’s notorious blockbusters. The Chinese film industry reportedly grossed $12.8 billion in 2018, compared to the $60.1 billion reported by the global movie industry. Like the US film industry, the China film industry took a big hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. The country was forced to close around 2,300 land-based cinemas in response to the Covid-19 shutdown. This is not to mention, the country also shut down film production to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Chinese officials have called for the reopening of land-based cinemas across the country. The country’s film market is expected to fully recover, but no one really knows how long it will take. China has some of the world’s highest-grossing movies of all time. Learn more about some of the country’s...
Are you a fan of Chinese films? If so, you are probably familiar with the country’s notorious blockbusters. The Chinese film industry reportedly grossed $12.8 billion in 2018, compared to the $60.1 billion reported by the global movie industry. Like the US film industry, the China film industry took a big hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. The country was forced to close around 2,300 land-based cinemas in response to the Covid-19 shutdown. This is not to mention, the country also shut down film production to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Chinese officials have called for the reopening of land-based cinemas across the country. The country’s film market is expected to fully recover, but no one really knows how long it will take. China has some of the world’s highest-grossing movies of all time. Learn more about some of the country’s...
- 5/14/2021
- by Peter Adams
- AsianMoviePulse
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
Director Frant Gwo has announced that the sequel to his sci-fi hit “The Wandering Earth,” China’s third highest grossing film of all time, will release over the 2023 Lunar New Year holiday, consistently the country’s biggest movie-going week of each year.
“The Wandering Earth” became a surprise hit after its 2019 Lunar New Year debut, beating competitors including Ning Hao’s “Crazy Alien” and Han Han’s “Pegasus” to top that year’s holiday box office. Produced by Beijing Culture on a budget of around $50 million, it grossed $691 million in China, but less than $6 million in North America. It was later picked up by Netflix.
“After two years of pre-production and thinking about the script, we’ve decided to initiate our shooting plan for ‘The Wandering Earth 2,’ and at the same time have set our release date for New Year’s Day 2023,” set to fall on Jan. 22, Gwo told the...
“The Wandering Earth” became a surprise hit after its 2019 Lunar New Year debut, beating competitors including Ning Hao’s “Crazy Alien” and Han Han’s “Pegasus” to top that year’s holiday box office. Produced by Beijing Culture on a budget of around $50 million, it grossed $691 million in China, but less than $6 million in North America. It was later picked up by Netflix.
“After two years of pre-production and thinking about the script, we’ve decided to initiate our shooting plan for ‘The Wandering Earth 2,’ and at the same time have set our release date for New Year’s Day 2023,” set to fall on Jan. 22, Gwo told the...
- 12/2/2020
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Hong Kong-produced crime thriller helped boost the weekend box office up by 45% to $51.4m.
Emperor Motion Pictures’ crime thriller Caught In Time topped the China box office over the weekend (November 20-22), according to figures from Artisan Gateway, grossing $30.3m in its opening three days.
Directed by Lau Ho-leung, the film stars Daniel Wu and Wang Qianyuan in the story of a detective tracking down a gang of criminals ten years after they initially evaded arrest.
Local war epic The Sacrifice slipped to second place after four weekends in pole position, grossing $6m for a cumulative total of $160.9m. Co-directed by Frant Gwo,...
Emperor Motion Pictures’ crime thriller Caught In Time topped the China box office over the weekend (November 20-22), according to figures from Artisan Gateway, grossing $30.3m in its opening three days.
Directed by Lau Ho-leung, the film stars Daniel Wu and Wang Qianyuan in the story of a detective tracking down a gang of criminals ten years after they initially evaded arrest.
Local war epic The Sacrifice slipped to second place after four weekends in pole position, grossing $6m for a cumulative total of $160.9m. Co-directed by Frant Gwo,...
- 11/23/2020
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Japanese animation Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna came in second over the weekend, grossing $9.6m.
Locally-produced war film Sacrifice topped China’s box office last weekend (October 30-November 1), according to figures from Artisan Gateway, grossing a further $28.6m for a cumulative total of $105.8m.
Co-directed by Frant Gwo, Guan Hu and Lu Yang, the film was produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War. The three-day weekend gross included $1.6m from 670 IMAX screens.
Japanese animation Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna came in second over the weekend, grossing $9.6m in its opening three days. Patriotic omnibus My People,...
Locally-produced war film Sacrifice topped China’s box office last weekend (October 30-November 1), according to figures from Artisan Gateway, grossing a further $28.6m for a cumulative total of $105.8m.
Co-directed by Frant Gwo, Guan Hu and Lu Yang, the film was produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War. The three-day weekend gross included $1.6m from 670 IMAX screens.
Japanese animation Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna came in second over the weekend, grossing $9.6m in its opening three days. Patriotic omnibus My People,...
- 11/2/2020
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Monday Update, writethru after Sunday 9:43Am post: To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Volunteers Army entering the Korean War, the Middle Kingdom released epic The Sacrifice this weekend. The locally-titled Jin Gang Chuan grossed an estimated $53M in its three-day bow. While not a record start for the year in the market, the actioner could hold well for the next weeks that currently see no major new releases.
The Sacrifice boasts a strong pedigree — it’s co-directed by The Eight Hundred’s Guan Hu, The Wandering Earth’s Frant Gwo and Brotherhood Of Blades‘ Lu Yang and stars Wu Jing of Wolf Warrior fame. The launch was somewhat lower than expected given all that talent. It’s carrying a 9.4 on ticketing platform Maoyan, and a 6.7 on Douban.
Before diving deeper into China, we must look at Japan and phenom Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train...
The Sacrifice boasts a strong pedigree — it’s co-directed by The Eight Hundred’s Guan Hu, The Wandering Earth’s Frant Gwo and Brotherhood Of Blades‘ Lu Yang and stars Wu Jing of Wolf Warrior fame. The launch was somewhat lower than expected given all that talent. It’s carrying a 9.4 on ticketing platform Maoyan, and a 6.7 on Douban.
Before diving deeper into China, we must look at Japan and phenom Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train...
- 10/26/2020
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Patriotic film was produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War.
Local war epic Sacrifice topped the box office on its opening weekend (October 23-25) in China, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway, grossing $53m in three days.
Produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War (1950-53), the film focuses on the attempts of Chinese soldiers attempting to repair a bridge while under constant bombardment from US artillery and planes.
The film is co-directed by three of China’s biggest commercial filmmakers – Frant Gwo (The Wandering Earth...
Local war epic Sacrifice topped the box office on its opening weekend (October 23-25) in China, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway, grossing $53m in three days.
Produced to celebrate the 70th anniversary of China’s entry into the Korean War (1950-53), the film focuses on the attempts of Chinese soldiers attempting to repair a bridge while under constant bombardment from US artillery and planes.
The film is co-directed by three of China’s biggest commercial filmmakers – Frant Gwo (The Wandering Earth...
- 10/26/2020
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Meeting only minimal resistance, Chinese-made war film “Sacrifice” invaded the box office and secured a quick victory against already battle-weary opponents.
The film released on Friday and in three days earned $53.0 million according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. It occupied the majority of available theatrical territory and clocked up a per screen average of $422 on Saturday alone.
The Artisan Gateway data points to an aggregate weekend gross of $76.9 million. The running total of $2.10 billion for the year to date is still 75% down on this time last year.
Released to coincide with official celebrations that mark China’s role in the Korean War (known in China as The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea), “Sacrifice” is a tale of courage under fire that focuses on Chinese forces repairing a bridge, while coming under repeated American bombardment. The narrative very much fits with that of the current...
The film released on Friday and in three days earned $53.0 million according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. It occupied the majority of available theatrical territory and clocked up a per screen average of $422 on Saturday alone.
The Artisan Gateway data points to an aggregate weekend gross of $76.9 million. The running total of $2.10 billion for the year to date is still 75% down on this time last year.
Released to coincide with official celebrations that mark China’s role in the Korean War (known in China as The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea), “Sacrifice” is a tale of courage under fire that focuses on Chinese forces repairing a bridge, while coming under repeated American bombardment. The narrative very much fits with that of the current...
- 10/26/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
War film “Sacrifice” got off to a heroic start at the China box office on Friday, likely setting the tone for another good weekend in Chinese cinemas, and a barrage of films in the same canon.
By 7pm local time on its opening day, “Sacrifice” had notched up RMB74.1 million, or $11 million at current rates of exchange.
First audiences appear to have shown their critical approval too. Early viewer feedback via cinema ticketing agency Maoyan gives “Sacrifice” an excellent score of 9.4 out of 10, while rival ticketing agency Taopiaopiao viewers scored it a notch higher at 9.5. The more thoughtful cinephile site Douban has not yet given it a score.
Taken together, the film’s early box office and approval ratings allowed Maoyan to forecast that “Sacrifice” could run on to score RMB2.5 billion or $373 million. It that transpires, it would make it one of the top-grossing films anywhere in the world this year.
By 7pm local time on its opening day, “Sacrifice” had notched up RMB74.1 million, or $11 million at current rates of exchange.
First audiences appear to have shown their critical approval too. Early viewer feedback via cinema ticketing agency Maoyan gives “Sacrifice” an excellent score of 9.4 out of 10, while rival ticketing agency Taopiaopiao viewers scored it a notch higher at 9.5. The more thoughtful cinephile site Douban has not yet given it a score.
Taken together, the film’s early box office and approval ratings allowed Maoyan to forecast that “Sacrifice” could run on to score RMB2.5 billion or $373 million. It that transpires, it would make it one of the top-grossing films anywhere in the world this year.
- 10/23/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Patriotic omnibus is now the third biggest worldwide grosser this year.
Patriotic omnibus My People, My Homeland added a further $19.1m at the China box office last weekend (October 16-18) to reach a cumulative total of $360.3m, according to figures from Artisan Gateway.
Compared to figures published by Box Office Mojo, that result would make the film the third biggest worldwide grosser this year, behind Chinese war epic The Eight Hundred ($441.7m) and Sony’s Bad Boys For Life ($426.5m).
Wang Danyang’s romantic drama The Story Of Xo Bao came in second over its opening weekend, grossing $5.6m over three days.
Patriotic omnibus My People, My Homeland added a further $19.1m at the China box office last weekend (October 16-18) to reach a cumulative total of $360.3m, according to figures from Artisan Gateway.
Compared to figures published by Box Office Mojo, that result would make the film the third biggest worldwide grosser this year, behind Chinese war epic The Eight Hundred ($441.7m) and Sony’s Bad Boys For Life ($426.5m).
Wang Danyang’s romantic drama The Story Of Xo Bao came in second over its opening weekend, grossing $5.6m over three days.
- 10/19/2020
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Halting all film releases and closing cinemas over Chinese New Year was the most dramatic possible expression of the emergency response to the novel coronavirus threat that spread from the city of Wuhan in January. The movie distribution and exhibition sectors had been counting on a billion dollars of box office revenue over the 10-day holiday period, a peak season that determines the growth trajectory for the whole year.
Yet, bad as the virus impact is for the movie releasing sectors, there could be longer-term consequences for China’s film production and eventually for its emerging rights sales businesses.
“This will reduce the number of productions in 2021. This will be bad for employees in this sector, from post-production or special effects or crew. Everyone,” says Tony Lu, a producer working on “The Wandering Earth” sequel at director Frant Gwo’s studio.
Two of the world’s newest and largest film...
Yet, bad as the virus impact is for the movie releasing sectors, there could be longer-term consequences for China’s film production and eventually for its emerging rights sales businesses.
“This will reduce the number of productions in 2021. This will be bad for employees in this sector, from post-production or special effects or crew. Everyone,” says Tony Lu, a producer working on “The Wandering Earth” sequel at director Frant Gwo’s studio.
Two of the world’s newest and largest film...
- 2/20/2020
- by Patrick Frater and Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Dallas, Texas – Well Go USA Entertainment will release “Jiang Ziya”, the sequel to box office hit “Ne Zha”, to North American theatres February 7th. “Ne Zha” generated a total box office revenue of nearly $720 million, surpassing “Wandering Earth” to become China’s second highest grossing film of all-time — only behind action thriller “Wolf Warrior 2”. “Jiang Ziya” will be the second film of a 3D animated series, produced by Beijing Enlight Pictures.
Based on an ancient Chinese myth, “Jiang Ziya” follows Jiang Ziya, a top commander in the divine army of the Kunlun Sect. Before Jiang Ziya can ascend to his new position among the Gods, he is ordered to execute the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon who threatens the mortal realm’s very existence. But when the Fox Demon shows him a dangerous secret, he is unable to complete his task resulting in his banishment to the mortal realm forever. Ten years later,...
Based on an ancient Chinese myth, “Jiang Ziya” follows Jiang Ziya, a top commander in the divine army of the Kunlun Sect. Before Jiang Ziya can ascend to his new position among the Gods, he is ordered to execute the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon who threatens the mortal realm’s very existence. But when the Fox Demon shows him a dangerous secret, he is unable to complete his task resulting in his banishment to the mortal realm forever. Ten years later,...
- 1/17/2020
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
‘We Are Little Zombies’.
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has revealed the nine films that will compete for this year’s Best Asian Film Award.
This is the third year Aacta has presented the award, which forms the foundation for the organisation’s Asia International Engagement Program. The award is designed to honour the finest films of the past year from 19 Asian regions, reflecting the popularity and importance of Asian films in Australia.
The nominees are: Sriram Raghavan’s Andhadhun (India); Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy (India); Cathy Garcia-Molina’s Hello Love Goodbye (Philippines); Jiao Zi’s Ne Zha (China); Bong Joon-Ho’s Palme D’Or winning Parasite (South Korea); Zhang Yimou’s Shadow (China); Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s Super Deluxe (India); Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth (China) and Makoto Nagahisa’s We Are Little Zombies (Japan).
The long list of films in competition was reviewed...
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has revealed the nine films that will compete for this year’s Best Asian Film Award.
This is the third year Aacta has presented the award, which forms the foundation for the organisation’s Asia International Engagement Program. The award is designed to honour the finest films of the past year from 19 Asian regions, reflecting the popularity and importance of Asian films in Australia.
The nominees are: Sriram Raghavan’s Andhadhun (India); Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy (India); Cathy Garcia-Molina’s Hello Love Goodbye (Philippines); Jiao Zi’s Ne Zha (China); Bong Joon-Ho’s Palme D’Or winning Parasite (South Korea); Zhang Yimou’s Shadow (China); Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s Super Deluxe (India); Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth (China) and Makoto Nagahisa’s We Are Little Zombies (Japan).
The long list of films in competition was reviewed...
- 10/14/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
After a string of disappointments, ’Midsommar’ may offer some hope.
Early box office reports for A24’s horror film Midsommar, starring Florence Pugh, could be just what the Us independent sector needs after a rocky ride in the first half of 2019.
Ari Aster’s follow-up to Sundance 2018 sensation Hereditary is forecast to gross around $13m this weekend and could not come soon enough. If it builds on the $3m Wednesday opening day reported by A24, on a reported $10m marketing spend, that could deliver at least temporary respite for a gloomy independent sector reeling from a string of disappointing releases.
Early box office reports for A24’s horror film Midsommar, starring Florence Pugh, could be just what the Us independent sector needs after a rocky ride in the first half of 2019.
Ari Aster’s follow-up to Sundance 2018 sensation Hereditary is forecast to gross around $13m this weekend and could not come soon enough. If it builds on the $3m Wednesday opening day reported by A24, on a reported $10m marketing spend, that could deliver at least temporary respite for a gloomy independent sector reeling from a string of disappointing releases.
- 7/5/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Iconic Chinese and Hollywood directors Frant Gwo and Roland Emmerich did not take the stage together at the Shanghai International Film Festival, but on Monday they got the chance to praise each other’s movies and share insights into sci-fi.
“I totally understand why it did well,” said “Independence Day” director Emmerich of Gwo’s recent “Wandering Earth,” a film which earned more than $680 million at the Chinese box office and has launched a wave of interest in Chinese sci-fi projects.
“It has lots of effects. It is good quality. And it is very Chinese, in that it is the story of a group of people, not just about a single person,” said Emmerich speaking at a panel discussion about sci-fi and technology.
Earlier, at a panel on industrializing the Chinese industry, Gwo thanked Chinese audiences for being tolerant of the “many things wrong” with “Wandering Earth. He said that...
“I totally understand why it did well,” said “Independence Day” director Emmerich of Gwo’s recent “Wandering Earth,” a film which earned more than $680 million at the Chinese box office and has launched a wave of interest in Chinese sci-fi projects.
“It has lots of effects. It is good quality. And it is very Chinese, in that it is the story of a group of people, not just about a single person,” said Emmerich speaking at a panel discussion about sci-fi and technology.
Earlier, at a panel on industrializing the Chinese industry, Gwo thanked Chinese audiences for being tolerant of the “many things wrong” with “Wandering Earth. He said that...
- 6/17/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’ is among the films in competition for the Aacta Best Asian Film Award.
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has unveiled some of the films that will compete for a nomination for the 2019 Best Asian Film award.
The selected films were announced at a gala dinner in Shanghai, where Aacta is also hosting an China | Australia film forum and panel discussion as part of its ongoing Asia International Engagement Program.
The Best Asian Film award is designed to honour the finest films of the past year from 19 Asian regions, reflecting the popularity and importance of Asian films in Australia.
Among the Chinese-language films in competition is Australian-Chinese co-production The Whistleblower, which shot in Victoria late last year.
It will go up against the second highest-grossing film of all time in China, Frant Gwo sci-fi The Wandering Earth, as well as three of the...
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta) has unveiled some of the films that will compete for a nomination for the 2019 Best Asian Film award.
The selected films were announced at a gala dinner in Shanghai, where Aacta is also hosting an China | Australia film forum and panel discussion as part of its ongoing Asia International Engagement Program.
The Best Asian Film award is designed to honour the finest films of the past year from 19 Asian regions, reflecting the popularity and importance of Asian films in Australia.
Among the Chinese-language films in competition is Australian-Chinese co-production The Whistleblower, which shot in Victoria late last year.
It will go up against the second highest-grossing film of all time in China, Frant Gwo sci-fi The Wandering Earth, as well as three of the...
- 6/17/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Challenges still remain when it comes to buying, distributing and producing content that can travel between China and the West, attendees of a panel organized by the Shanghai Intl. Film Festival on the sidelines of Cannes said.
Cai Gongming, president of Road Pictures, has hit box office gold in China with Cannes art-house titles such as Lebanese director Nadine Labaki’s “Capernaum,” which debuted at the end of April and has made more than $42 million so far. But he says titles from the festival that will work in the Middle Kingdom are few and far between.
“I’d say that 90% of films at Cannes are not suitable for China, because Chinese audiences can’t understand their type of emotional expression, or things that are too artistic – films that look like they might as well be a painting,” he said. “Chinese audiences are now more interested in realism, realistic subjects. This is something new.
Cai Gongming, president of Road Pictures, has hit box office gold in China with Cannes art-house titles such as Lebanese director Nadine Labaki’s “Capernaum,” which debuted at the end of April and has made more than $42 million so far. But he says titles from the festival that will work in the Middle Kingdom are few and far between.
“I’d say that 90% of films at Cannes are not suitable for China, because Chinese audiences can’t understand their type of emotional expression, or things that are too artistic – films that look like they might as well be a painting,” he said. “Chinese audiences are now more interested in realism, realistic subjects. This is something new.
- 5/19/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Billed as China’s first true sci-fi blockbuster, Frant Gwo’s ridiculously profitable (and borderline unwatchable) “The Wandering Earth” tells the story of a cursed future in which the sun has become unstable, and humanity’s only hope for survival are the 10,000 jet engines strong enough to dislodge our planet from its orbit and launch us toward a solar system that’s 4.2 light-years away.
Currently the second-highest grossing movie in Chinese box office history, and now dumped on Netflix without fanfare, Gwo’s film also tells the story of another cursed future — one that presents a more clear and present danger — in which the spectacle required to sustain popular cinema becomes so large that the industry congeals into a worldwide monoculture and creates a vacuum of credible artistic and cultural expression powerful enough to suck an entire medium into a black hole of its own making.
Studios rely on international audiences to survive,...
Currently the second-highest grossing movie in Chinese box office history, and now dumped on Netflix without fanfare, Gwo’s film also tells the story of another cursed future — one that presents a more clear and present danger — in which the spectacle required to sustain popular cinema becomes so large that the industry congeals into a worldwide monoculture and creates a vacuum of credible artistic and cultural expression powerful enough to suck an entire medium into a black hole of its own making.
Studios rely on international audiences to survive,...
- 5/11/2019
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
One of the biggest movies in the world is currently available to stream on Netflix, but chances are likely most subscribers have no idea about it. “The Wandering Earth,” Frant Gwo’s science-fiction blockbuster about humanity’s attempts to prevent the the sun from destroying the earth, opened in China earlier this year to “Avengers: Endgame” numbers at the box office. The movie is currently China’s second highest-grossing release in history and with $700 million at the worldwide box office it’s the third biggest global release of 2019 behind only Marvel Studios and Disney’s “Endgame” and “Captain Marvel.”
Despite that huge box office haul, “The Wandering Earth” landed on Netflix without any fanfare and barely any marketing. Netflix Asia debuted an official trailer for the blockbuster on April 29, which was just a day before the film’s April 30 launch on the company’s regional service. The trailer was never...
Despite that huge box office haul, “The Wandering Earth” landed on Netflix without any fanfare and barely any marketing. Netflix Asia debuted an official trailer for the blockbuster on April 29, which was just a day before the film’s April 30 launch on the company’s regional service. The trailer was never...
- 5/8/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Based on the novella of the same name by Locus Award and Hugo Award-winning author Liu Cixin, “The Wandering Earth” became China’s second highest-grossing film of all time, 2019’s third highest-grossing film worldwide, the second highest-grossing non-English film of all time, and one of the top 20 highest-grossing science fiction films of all time.
In the future, the Sun has aged and is about to turn into a red giant, pushing the nations of the world to consolidate into the United Earth Government, a world government, to initiate a project to move the Earth out of the Solar System to the Alpha Centauri system, in order to preserve further human civilization. Enormous thrusters running on fusion power are built across the planet to propel the Earth. Human population is reduced severely due to catastrophic tides that occur after the planetary engines stop Earth’s rotation, and later as the planet moves away from the Sun,...
In the future, the Sun has aged and is about to turn into a red giant, pushing the nations of the world to consolidate into the United Earth Government, a world government, to initiate a project to move the Earth out of the Solar System to the Alpha Centauri system, in order to preserve further human civilization. Enormous thrusters running on fusion power are built across the planet to propel the Earth. Human population is reduced severely due to catastrophic tides that occur after the planetary engines stop Earth’s rotation, and later as the planet moves away from the Sun,...
- 5/2/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
‘2067’ (Photo credit: Matt Byrne).
Seth Larney’s sci-fi mystery thriller 2067 will be released in China on at least 10,000 screens next year.
Odin’s Eye Entertainment clinched the deal for the film starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Mailman, Aaron Glenane, Damian Walshe-Howling, Leeanna Walsman and Finn Little with Jl Vision.
The Chinese distributor has released a string of Hollywood and indie titles including Creed II, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fighting With My Family, If Beale Street Could Talk, King Of Thieves, A Private War and Vox Lux.
It’s the second major deal for the film produced by Arcadia’s Lisa Shaunessy and Kojo Entertainment’s Kate Croser. Shout! Studios pre-bought North American rights to the thriller set in a deforested and oxygen-deprived world reeling from climate change.
“2067 is a sci-fi film which we are very excited about. I strongly believe this film will make Chinese audiences feel exhilarated,” said Jl Vision CEO Ricky Qi.
Seth Larney’s sci-fi mystery thriller 2067 will be released in China on at least 10,000 screens next year.
Odin’s Eye Entertainment clinched the deal for the film starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Mailman, Aaron Glenane, Damian Walshe-Howling, Leeanna Walsman and Finn Little with Jl Vision.
The Chinese distributor has released a string of Hollywood and indie titles including Creed II, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fighting With My Family, If Beale Street Could Talk, King Of Thieves, A Private War and Vox Lux.
It’s the second major deal for the film produced by Arcadia’s Lisa Shaunessy and Kojo Entertainment’s Kate Croser. Shout! Studios pre-bought North American rights to the thriller set in a deforested and oxygen-deprived world reeling from climate change.
“2067 is a sci-fi film which we are very excited about. I strongly believe this film will make Chinese audiences feel exhilarated,” said Jl Vision CEO Ricky Qi.
- 3/19/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
We’ve been talking a lot about the epic sci-fi Chinese film The Wandering Earth lately, and that’s because it’s seriously an awesome movie! Today I learned a cool new thing about the development of the film that I didn’t previously know and that is that Weta Workshop worked on several elements of the stunning visual effects of the movie!
They recently released a video giving us a behind-the-scenes look at some of the work that they did in designing, creating, and building the Tech Suits that the characters wear in the movie. Those suits included technical exoskeletons, domed helmets, and specialty backpacks. I loved the designs of these suits and it’s so cool to see all the work that was put into bringing them to life.
The film is an adaptation of the 2000 novella of the same name written by Liu Cixin, and this is...
They recently released a video giving us a behind-the-scenes look at some of the work that they did in designing, creating, and building the Tech Suits that the characters wear in the movie. Those suits included technical exoskeletons, domed helmets, and specialty backpacks. I loved the designs of these suits and it’s so cool to see all the work that was put into bringing them to life.
The film is an adaptation of the 2000 novella of the same name written by Liu Cixin, and this is...
- 3/4/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Contemporary Chinese Cinema is a column devoted to exploring contemporary Chinese-language cinema primarily as it is revealed to us at North American multiplexes.Missbehavior This Lunar New Year season, traditionally the highest-grossing period of the Chinese cinema calendar, is lacking many of the big names of years past, especially as regards the films that saw release in the Us. Where in recent years Stephen Chow, Soi Cheang, Jackie Chan, Tsui Hark and others have crafted massive box office hits both here and in China, this year Chow and Chan’s movies didn’t get North American releases, while Ning Hao’s Crazy Alien had its scheduled run severely truncated if not outright cancelled. Gobbling up screens instead was The Wandering Earth, an epic sci-fi disaster film that has been smashing box office records left and right, cruising past $300 million in grosses as I write this with no end in sight.
- 3/1/2019
- MUBI
The out-of-this-world success of China’s first-ever sci-fi blockbuster, “The Wandering Earth,” proves that when it comes to watching special-effects extravaganzas in which stock characters scramble to intervene while the planet faces obliteration, it’s a small world after all. Director Frant Gwo’s adaptation of the 2000 novella by Liu Cixin is no genre classic, but its furious pace, spectacular visuals, and fanciful plot deliver decent escapist entertainment. After accumulating an astronomical $640 million-plus domestically — plus a tidy $5 million on limited North American screens — since Feb. 5, this display of capability from China’s commercial film sector was snapped up by Netflix for future release on the streaming giant’s platform.
A hyperactive hybrid of doomsday films ranging from ’50s classic “When Worlds Collide” to Michael Bay’s bombastic “Armageddon” and, most notably, Ishiro Honda’s 1962 Japanese space opera “Gorath,” “The Wandering Earth” is perhaps most striking for its lack of nationalism and propaganda.
A hyperactive hybrid of doomsday films ranging from ’50s classic “When Worlds Collide” to Michael Bay’s bombastic “Armageddon” and, most notably, Ishiro Honda’s 1962 Japanese space opera “Gorath,” “The Wandering Earth” is perhaps most striking for its lack of nationalism and propaganda.
- 2/27/2019
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
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