Disney’s “‘Raya and the Last Dragon” is set to hit theaters in China on March 5, the same day as its release on Disney Plus in other territories.
It ranks among the first foreign titles to announce an upcoming release date since the Wednesday conclusion of the Chinese New Year holiday — the country’s top movie-going week of the year, and a period when authorities impose an official blackout on foreign imports.
China is one of the few countries where Disney currently has no plans to release its streaming platform, given that the Chinese government requires those operating within its borders to abide by draconian censorship rules.
Promo for the film in China leans on the star power of 33-year-old Zhao Liying, who will be dubbing the main character, Raya, into Chinese. Posters feature her dressed like a princess amidst fairy lights and fronds in the forest green palate distinctive to the film.
It ranks among the first foreign titles to announce an upcoming release date since the Wednesday conclusion of the Chinese New Year holiday — the country’s top movie-going week of the year, and a period when authorities impose an official blackout on foreign imports.
China is one of the few countries where Disney currently has no plans to release its streaming platform, given that the Chinese government requires those operating within its borders to abide by draconian censorship rules.
Promo for the film in China leans on the star power of 33-year-old Zhao Liying, who will be dubbing the main character, Raya, into Chinese. Posters feature her dressed like a princess amidst fairy lights and fronds in the forest green palate distinctive to the film.
- 2/20/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Asia has set “Dream Raider” as its first original sci-fi commission. The show is an 8-episode Mandarin language series, produced in Taiwan.
Set in the near future, “Dream Raider” features a misfit team of scientists and cops that are trying to get to the bottom of a criminal conspiracy that exploits human consciousness. The series opens with detectives investigating a case of missing girls and uncovers a mysterious cutting-edge technology that enables them to enter the dreamscapes of others in search of the truth.
Directed by Daniel Fu and Simon Hung, the series boasts a cast headed by David Wang, Vivian Hsu, Jason Wang, Weber Yang, Ellen Wu, Wu Ke-Xi (“Nina Wu”), Jun Kunimura, Aggie Hsieh, Garfield Chung, and Bella Wu.
Produced with the support of the Taipei Film Commission and the Taipei Cultural Foundation, the series is executive produced by renowned Hong Kong-based filmmaker Soi Cheang.
Starting on Aug.
Set in the near future, “Dream Raider” features a misfit team of scientists and cops that are trying to get to the bottom of a criminal conspiracy that exploits human consciousness. The series opens with detectives investigating a case of missing girls and uncovers a mysterious cutting-edge technology that enables them to enter the dreamscapes of others in search of the truth.
Directed by Daniel Fu and Simon Hung, the series boasts a cast headed by David Wang, Vivian Hsu, Jason Wang, Weber Yang, Ellen Wu, Wu Ke-Xi (“Nina Wu”), Jun Kunimura, Aggie Hsieh, Garfield Chung, and Bella Wu.
Produced with the support of the Taipei Film Commission and the Taipei Cultural Foundation, the series is executive produced by renowned Hong Kong-based filmmaker Soi Cheang.
Starting on Aug.
- 7/27/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Among other measures, restrictions have been removed on the numbers of Hong Kong cast and crew on each production.
Chinese authorities have unveiled new rules to make it easier for Hong Kong companies to access the mainland market via official Hong Kong-China co-productions.
The mainland government has relaxed five of the restrictions currently in place for Hong Kong-China co-productions – including the number of Hong Kong actors in each production; the number of Hong Kong people working on each production; and the requirement that the story of the film is related to mainland China.
Other measures include waiving fees to set...
Chinese authorities have unveiled new rules to make it easier for Hong Kong companies to access the mainland market via official Hong Kong-China co-productions.
The mainland government has relaxed five of the restrictions currently in place for Hong Kong-China co-productions – including the number of Hong Kong actors in each production; the number of Hong Kong people working on each production; and the requirement that the story of the film is related to mainland China.
Other measures include waiving fees to set...
- 4/17/2019
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
No big revelations this year at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards. The Sunday night ceremony has unveiled all the winners for this years Awards and they are all quite an easy guess. Felix Chong’s thriller “Project Gutenberg” was the star of the evening as, predictably – considering its 17 nominations – won Best Film along with other 6 Awards.
But despite the histrionic performances of Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwock, the acting Awards are not in the “Project Gutenberg”‘s pile. Anthony Wong took home the Best Actor award for his role as a middle-aged paralysed man in “Still Human“, and newcomer Chloe Maayan won Best Actress for Fruit Chan’s “Three Husbands”, while Kara Hui and Ben Yuen Foo-Wa scored Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor both for “Tracey“.
Finally, “Dying To Survive” won the Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan Award.
Here is the full list of Winners and...
But despite the histrionic performances of Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwock, the acting Awards are not in the “Project Gutenberg”‘s pile. Anthony Wong took home the Best Actor award for his role as a middle-aged paralysed man in “Still Human“, and newcomer Chloe Maayan won Best Actress for Fruit Chan’s “Three Husbands”, while Kara Hui and Ben Yuen Foo-Wa scored Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor both for “Tracey“.
Finally, “Dying To Survive” won the Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan Award.
Here is the full list of Winners and...
- 4/15/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The full list of nominations for the the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards has been revealed. On the 14 April 2019 we will know the winners but for now let’s have a look at the nominees.
Two films seem to lead the competition. Big budget “Project Gutenberg” by Felix Chong has the highest number of nominations (17) and both its protagonists, Chow Yun-Fat and Aaron Kwok, compete for the Best Actor Award. To follow, a much smaller (but not less loved) film, “Men On The Dragon” by Sunny Chan has 10 nominations.
Here is the full list:
Men On The Dragon
Best Film
Three Husbands
Operation Red Sea
Still Human
Men On The Dragon
Project Gutenberg
Best Director
Fruit Chan (Three Husbands)
Dante Lam (Operation Red Sea)
Sunny Chan (Men On The Dragon)
Oliver Chan Siu-Kuen (Still Human)
Felix Chong (Project Gutenberg)
Aaron Kwok and Chow Yun-Fat
Best Actor
Francis Ng (Men On...
Two films seem to lead the competition. Big budget “Project Gutenberg” by Felix Chong has the highest number of nominations (17) and both its protagonists, Chow Yun-Fat and Aaron Kwok, compete for the Best Actor Award. To follow, a much smaller (but not less loved) film, “Men On The Dragon” by Sunny Chan has 10 nominations.
Here is the full list:
Men On The Dragon
Best Film
Three Husbands
Operation Red Sea
Still Human
Men On The Dragon
Project Gutenberg
Best Director
Fruit Chan (Three Husbands)
Dante Lam (Operation Red Sea)
Sunny Chan (Men On The Dragon)
Oliver Chan Siu-Kuen (Still Human)
Felix Chong (Project Gutenberg)
Aaron Kwok and Chow Yun-Fat
Best Actor
Francis Ng (Men On...
- 2/13/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Documentary fans, get ready to queue up Hulu next month with the arrival of two originals on the streamer.
“Minding the Gap” (pictured above) will drop on Aug.17, a documentary that compiles more than 12 years of footage in Rockford, Illinois, filmmaker Bing Liu looks at the correlation between skateboarders’ upbringings and the complex nature of modern masculinity.
“Crime and Punishment” will follow, dropping on Aug. 24. Stephen Maing directed, produced and filmed this documentary that goes behind the scenes of discriminatory policing practices and corruption in the New York Police Department.
Also Read: Anne Rice's 'Vampire Chronicles' TV Series Heads to Hulu
Additionally, Hulu users can enjoy “10 Things I Hate About You” starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles on Aug. 1 (at least the ones who have the Showtime add-on), 2004’s “Hidalgo,” 2008’s “The Hurt Locker” and more throughout the month.
See the complete list of what’s coming to and leaving Hulu below.
“Minding the Gap” (pictured above) will drop on Aug.17, a documentary that compiles more than 12 years of footage in Rockford, Illinois, filmmaker Bing Liu looks at the correlation between skateboarders’ upbringings and the complex nature of modern masculinity.
“Crime and Punishment” will follow, dropping on Aug. 24. Stephen Maing directed, produced and filmed this documentary that goes behind the scenes of discriminatory policing practices and corruption in the New York Police Department.
Also Read: Anne Rice's 'Vampire Chronicles' TV Series Heads to Hulu
Additionally, Hulu users can enjoy “10 Things I Hate About You” starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles on Aug. 1 (at least the ones who have the Showtime add-on), 2004’s “Hidalgo,” 2008’s “The Hurt Locker” and more throughout the month.
See the complete list of what’s coming to and leaving Hulu below.
- 7/18/2018
- by Ashley Boucher
- The Wrap
“Make no mistake, The Monkey King 3 is bonkers, but in a charming, delirious sort of way, with energy to spare and another strong performance by Kwok …”
~ Elizabeth Kerr, The Hollywood Reporter
Director Cheang Pou-soi (Accident) and Aaron Kwok (City Under Siege) reunite for The Monkey King 3, the highly-anticipated third installment in the international blockbuster Monkey King franchise, debuting on digital, Blu-ray and DVD May 15 from Well Go USA Entertainment. A small portion of the epic 16th-century Chinese 100-chapter novel Journey to the Westagain provides the story, picking up where the previous films left off with the Impish magical primate and his motley crew of colorful followers accompanying a monk on a mission to retrieve sacred scriptures. In this installment, they find themselves trapped in a land inhabited only by women. In addition to Aaron Kwok, returning castmenbers include Feng Shaofeng (White Vengeance), Gigi Leung, Xiao Shenyang (The Grandmaster) and...
~ Elizabeth Kerr, The Hollywood Reporter
Director Cheang Pou-soi (Accident) and Aaron Kwok (City Under Siege) reunite for The Monkey King 3, the highly-anticipated third installment in the international blockbuster Monkey King franchise, debuting on digital, Blu-ray and DVD May 15 from Well Go USA Entertainment. A small portion of the epic 16th-century Chinese 100-chapter novel Journey to the Westagain provides the story, picking up where the previous films left off with the Impish magical primate and his motley crew of colorful followers accompanying a monk on a mission to retrieve sacred scriptures. In this installment, they find themselves trapped in a land inhabited only by women. In addition to Aaron Kwok, returning castmenbers include Feng Shaofeng (White Vengeance), Gigi Leung, Xiao Shenyang (The Grandmaster) and...
- 4/23/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“Make no mistake, The Monkey King 3 is bonkers, but in a charming, delirious sort of way, with energy to spare and another strong performance by Kwok …” Elizabeth Kerr, The Hollywood Reporter
“… delivers enough broad humour, striking visuals, casual spirituality and larger-than-life action to succeed as a Chinese New Year crowdpleaser.” James Marsh, Screen Anarchy
The Monkey King 3
Action & Adventure Meet Fantasy on Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD May 15
Director Cheang Pou-soi (Accident) and Aaron Kwok (City Under Siege) reunite for The Monkey King 3, the highly-anticipated third installment in the international blockbuster Monkey King franchise, debuting on digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD May 15 from Well Go USA Entertainment. A small portion of the epic 16th-century Chinese 100-chapter novel Journey to the West again provides the story, picking up where the previous films left off with the Impish magical primate and his motley crew of colorful followers accompanying a monk...
“… delivers enough broad humour, striking visuals, casual spirituality and larger-than-life action to succeed as a Chinese New Year crowdpleaser.” James Marsh, Screen Anarchy
The Monkey King 3
Action & Adventure Meet Fantasy on Digital, Blu-ray™ & DVD May 15
Director Cheang Pou-soi (Accident) and Aaron Kwok (City Under Siege) reunite for The Monkey King 3, the highly-anticipated third installment in the international blockbuster Monkey King franchise, debuting on digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD May 15 from Well Go USA Entertainment. A small portion of the epic 16th-century Chinese 100-chapter novel Journey to the West again provides the story, picking up where the previous films left off with the Impish magical primate and his motley crew of colorful followers accompanying a monk...
- 4/16/2018
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
As expected, last week “Black Panther” passed $1 billion worldwide when China opened to strong numbers. Overseas, the Marvel title now ranks above nearly all recent comic-book movie adaptations. Next week, it should cross $600 million in North America. This is wonderful news on many levels: For Marvel and for Disney, certainly; for diversity representation in the blockbuster realm. But what “Black Panther” can’t do is uplift the rest of the marketplace: Where “Black Panther” has soared this year, most releases lag.
The simplest way to compare year-over-year box office is to check the respective box office totals year to date. By that standard, 2018 looks terrific at the moment; we’re up eight percent.
However, by this point last year, we had five films — “Split,” “The Lego Batman Movie,” “Fifty Shades Darker,” “Logan,” and “Kong: Skull Island” — open to over $40 million. “Get Out” opened a little below that, but already earned $100 million.
The simplest way to compare year-over-year box office is to check the respective box office totals year to date. By that standard, 2018 looks terrific at the moment; we’re up eight percent.
However, by this point last year, we had five films — “Split,” “The Lego Batman Movie,” “Fifty Shades Darker,” “Logan,” and “Kong: Skull Island” — open to over $40 million. “Get Out” opened a little below that, but already earned $100 million.
- 3/13/2018
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Contemporary Chinese Cinema is a column devoted to exploring contemporary Chinese-language cinema primarily as it is revealed to us at North American multiplexes.The Monkey King 3: Land of BeautyThis year’s Lunar New Year week was the biggest ever, almost doubling the box office take from last year, with grosses over 850 million American dollars. Traditionally the busiest movie-going time in the Chinese-speaking world, packed with crowd-pleasing star vehicles, this year’s holiday was dominated by four major releases, each of which was also released in North America.1 Three sequels opened here on February 16th, The Monkey King 3, Monster Hunt 2 and Detective Chinatown 2, while Operation Red Sea opened the following Friday, February 23rd. While none of the four has had the impact stateside of The Mermaid’s historic run two New Years ago, they’ve all proven to be hits at home. Soi Cheang’s Monkey King sequel opened first,...
- 2/27/2018
- MUBI
Six major Chinese-language titles deliver $535m, the biggest three-day weekend in a single market ever.
To welcome the Year of the Dog, the Chinese blockbusters lit up the box office like firecrackers this weekend.
Friday, the start of the week-long holidays, saw the roll out of no less than six major Chinese-language titles. By Sunday, China has delivered a series of box office records over three days (Feb 16-18), including the world record for the biggest three-day weekend in a single market with $535m.
About 40% of the opening weekend receipts, or $281m, came from Friday alone. This represented another world record of the biggest single day performance in a single market, beating North America’s record led by Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.
Monster Hunt 2 easily stood out as the best performer, with new records including the single biggest day and the biggest opening day in Chinese history with $85.26m from Friday, overtaking Furious 8 and Wolf...
To welcome the Year of the Dog, the Chinese blockbusters lit up the box office like firecrackers this weekend.
Friday, the start of the week-long holidays, saw the roll out of no less than six major Chinese-language titles. By Sunday, China has delivered a series of box office records over three days (Feb 16-18), including the world record for the biggest three-day weekend in a single market with $535m.
About 40% of the opening weekend receipts, or $281m, came from Friday alone. This represented another world record of the biggest single day performance in a single market, beating North America’s record led by Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.
Monster Hunt 2 easily stood out as the best performer, with new records including the single biggest day and the biggest opening day in Chinese history with $85.26m from Friday, overtaking Furious 8 and Wolf...
- 2/19/2018
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
First day of the Chinese New Year holidays breaks record for a single day box office in a single market.
China’s total box office on the first day of the Chinese New Year holidays (Feb 16) hit an estimated $205m (RMB1.3bn) powered by Monster Hunt 2, a world record for a single day box office in a single market, according to local trade press.
The Chinese result climbed 62% compared to the first day of the holiday in 2017. It beat the previous world record of $137m set in the Us on December 18, 2015, driven by the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, at current exchange rates. Individually, the sci-fi grossed $119m on its opening day.
Monster Hunt 2, which screens today [Sunday, Feb 18] as an out-of-competition Berlinale special screening, led the Chinese holiday on an $85m opening day, according to EntGroup. That compares to the $107m opening weekend of the first Monster Hunt film in July 2015. It added $60m on its...
China’s total box office on the first day of the Chinese New Year holidays (Feb 16) hit an estimated $205m (RMB1.3bn) powered by Monster Hunt 2, a world record for a single day box office in a single market, according to local trade press.
The Chinese result climbed 62% compared to the first day of the holiday in 2017. It beat the previous world record of $137m set in the Us on December 18, 2015, driven by the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, at current exchange rates. Individually, the sci-fi grossed $119m on its opening day.
Monster Hunt 2, which screens today [Sunday, Feb 18] as an out-of-competition Berlinale special screening, led the Chinese holiday on an $85m opening day, according to EntGroup. That compares to the $107m opening weekend of the first Monster Hunt film in July 2015. It added $60m on its...
- 2/18/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with The Monkey King 3, Monster Hunt 2, and more International Cinema titles this weekend!Celebrate the Lunar New Year with The Monkey King 3, Monster Hunt 2, and more International Cinema titles this weekend!Adriana Floridia2/15/2018 2:07:00 PMEvery week, select Cineplex theatres feature some of the most popular and exciting films from all around the world, from countries like China, India, Korea, The Philippines and more. If you want to try something different at the movies, or simply celebrate your own or a new culture on the big screen, we’re highlighting the International Cinema titles out this weekend that you’ll surely enjoy!
This Friday is the Lunar New Year, and we have three titles that are being released to coincide with this holiday: Detective Chinatown 2, Monster Hunt 2 and The Monkey King 3! Find out all about these films and more international releases this weekend below!
This Friday is the Lunar New Year, and we have three titles that are being released to coincide with this holiday: Detective Chinatown 2, Monster Hunt 2 and The Monkey King 3! Find out all about these films and more international releases this weekend below!
- 2/15/2018
- by Adriana Floridia
- Cineplex
Wu Chengen’s 100-part literary classic Journey to the West could be seen as the Iliad or the Shakespeare of China, in that it’s the literary classic that always seems ripe for reimagining. In director Soi Cheang’s final (based on the closing shots, perhaps) installment of his three-part spin on the legend, The Monkey King 3 ventures into the book’s later chapters that are less familiar to Western audiences for a delicately cheeky and timely missed opportunity. Pivoting this time on pious monk Xuanzang’s sputtering romance with the emergent queen of a kingdom populated solely by women, Cheang does his able...
- 2/15/2018
- by Elizabeth Kerr
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Aaron Kwok again transforms into the mischievous Sun Wukong for the third instalment of Soi Cheang’s blockbuster holiday franchise. This time, however, the focus is not on Wukong himself, but falls on monk Xuanzang (Feng Shaofeng), when their journey westwards leads them into a mysterious kingdom populated solely by women. Largely foregoing action in favour of romance, The Monkey King 3 nevertheless manages to be frivilously entertaining and should see solid returns over the Lunar New Year break. Clearly influenced by Patti Jenkins’ hugely successful Wonder Woman, the hidden realm of Womanland bears a striking resemblance to Princess Diana’s own home island of Themyscira. Concealed behind an invisible wall and ruled over by a benevolent young Queen (Zhao Liying), men are banished and romance...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 2/14/2018
- Screen Anarchy
It was a flat week at the box office, with New Year blockbusters waiting in the wings.
It was a flat week (Feb 5-11) right before Chinese New Year as generally expected. Most of the charts looked quite similar to the week before, with only two small releases added. Chinese New Year blockbusters will make up for the loss next week.
Without any strong contenders, Bollywood musical Secret Superstar scored a hat trick, topping the box office for three straight weeks.
Aamir Khan’s latest hit about a young girl who aspires to become a famous singer added $18.7 for $114.7m after 24 days. It has now surpassed Japanese animation Your Name to become the second highest grossing non-Hollywood foreign film ever, only after Dangal.
Local romance drama Till The End Of The World, with Yang Zishan and Mark Chao, climbed one spot to second place with $16.4m for $30m after 11 days, pushing Maze Runner: The Death Cure to the...
It was a flat week (Feb 5-11) right before Chinese New Year as generally expected. Most of the charts looked quite similar to the week before, with only two small releases added. Chinese New Year blockbusters will make up for the loss next week.
Without any strong contenders, Bollywood musical Secret Superstar scored a hat trick, topping the box office for three straight weeks.
Aamir Khan’s latest hit about a young girl who aspires to become a famous singer added $18.7 for $114.7m after 24 days. It has now surpassed Japanese animation Your Name to become the second highest grossing non-Hollywood foreign film ever, only after Dangal.
Local romance drama Till The End Of The World, with Yang Zishan and Mark Chao, climbed one spot to second place with $16.4m for $30m after 11 days, pushing Maze Runner: The Death Cure to the...
- 2/12/2018
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
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