China
‘The Breaking Ice’ Review: Three Young Chinese Adults in Limbo Connect in Anthony Chen’s Poignant Gen Z Drama
Set against the icy landscape of Yanji, near the North Korean border, the intimate film traces the path of an outsider trio from malaise to spiritual freedom.
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Bad Rabbit Pictures Looks to Elevate Chinese Art House Auteurs
Yao Chen and Cao Yu forged very different paths on their way to success in the Chinese film industry, but after 20 years of work each, they sat down for a chat about where their careers were headed, and they came to the same conclusion. “We’d reached a similar stage in life,” explains Yao. “We […]
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China Film Pavilion in Cannes Showcases Hits, Opens Door to Potential Partners
Chinese cinema makes its in-person return to Cannes this year, buoyed by a bounce-back in post-COVID box office revenue, and talking up its efforts to engage with the global film community. Taking center stage is the China Film Pavilion, set up by the China Film Co-Production Corporation (CFCC), under the guidance of and with the […]
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Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Lands China Release Date
Ariel is heading to China. Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid has locked down a release date in China on May 26, day-and-date with the film’s North American launch. Directed by Rob Marshall, The Little Mermaid stars Halle Bailey as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as the villainous Ursula. Javier Bardem, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay and Jonah Hauer-King co-star in the film, […]
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How a ‘Pooh’ Slasher Flick May Have Tipped Hong Kong Towards Greater Beijing Censorship
Oh, bother. What has Winnie-the-Pooh gotten himself into this time? Something quite a bit more troubling than the usual travails of Hundred Acre Wood, it turns out. First, the lovable children’s character was transformed into the murderous protagonist of Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, a micro-budget U.K. slasher film that went viral and scored theatrical distribution […]
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‘The Shadowless Tower’ (‘Bai Ta Zhi Guang’) Review: A Divorced Food Critic Reconsiders His Existence in Affecting Minor-Key Drama
Writer-director Zhang Lu uses a 13th century Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing to reflect on the value of constancy in drifting lives shaped by change.
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‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Scores China Release Date, Continuing Beijing’s Reopening to Hollywood (Exclusive)
Warner Bros. Discovery’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods has locked down a release date in China, sources with knowledge of the decision tell The Hollywood Reporter. The DC superhero sequel will launch in the country March 17, day-and-date with North America. The official announcement from regulators is expected soon. Shazam!’s permission to launch continues China’s recent […]
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China Box Office: ‘Wandering Earth 2’ Takes $70M on Day 1 of Lunar New Year, Zhang Yimou’s ‘Full River Red’ Second With $59M
China’s Lunar New Year box office got off to a solid start Sunday despite ongoing concerns over the COVID wave sweeping the country. An especially strong and diverse slate of local holiday blockbusters is giving the Chinese film industry the boost it so desperately needs after a prolonged period of market damage during last year’s […]
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‘Black Panther 2,’ ‘Ant-Man 3‘ Secure China Release Dates as Beijing Lifts De Facto Ban on Marvel
At long last, Marvel and Walt Disney appear to be getting a break in China. The studio’s superhero tentpoles Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania both have locked down China release dates, ending a de facto three-and-a-half year ban on all Marvel movie releases in the country — a pattern that cost […]
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Mission Aborted: Why China’s ‘Top Gun’ Never Took Off
The country’s most daring and promising young fighter pilot takes part in a top-secret testing program for the military’s most advanced fighter jets. Logline sound familiar? With hot young Chinese test pilots and heart-stopping aerial acrobatics, Born to Fly was supposed to be China’s answer to Top Gun: Maverick. The wildly anticipated action flick stars […]
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China Box Office: ‘Avatar 2’ Opens Far Below Tracking at $57.1M as COVID Outbreak Bites
Disney and 20th Century’s Avatar: The Way of Water opened in China over the weekend to $57.1 million, a starting haul that would be considered a heroic comeback for Hollywood in the increasingly choppy China market — if the movie were made by any filmmaker other than James Cameron. Presale rates and other online measures of audience […]
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Global Box Office Forecast to Hit $29B in 2023 But Remain Well Below Pre-Pandemic Levels
The global cinema box office continues its slow but steady rise out of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the year nearly done, box office analysis firm Gower Street is forecasting worldwide theatrical revenues will hit $25.8 billion in 2022 (by Gower Street’s calculations, the total take as of Dec. 10 was $23.6 billion), a 21 percent […]
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