‘Battle at Lake Changjin’ Sets U.K., Ireland Releases (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefBruce Willis-starring sci-fi action film “Breach” is to receive an online release next week in China across five major streaming platforms.Leeding Media, which has offices in Los Angeles and Beijing, has finally secured Dec.

After many years of waiting, a long hoped for “Game of Thrones” update has arrived for fans. No, it’s not “The Winds of Winter” — it’s the first official studio tour’s opening date.Warner Bros.

“Small Things Like These,” by Claire Keegan (Grove Press)“Small Things Like These” is a gem of a slim novel about a family man faced with a moral decision.In just 114 pages, the book introduces readers to Bill Furlong, a coal merchant in a small Irish town. “Furlong had come from nothing,” writes Keegan.

The full list of this week's key New Music Friday releases appears at the bottom of the page, but first, some highlights...

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“The Battle at Lake Changjin” has become the highest grossing film of all time in China, after nearly two months of release. Co-directed by a trio of major helmers, Dante Lam, Chen Kaige and Tsui Hark, it is also the top earning film in the world this year.The Chinese record was achieved on Wednesday evening local time when the film passed the RMB5.69 billion total achieved in 2017 by “Wolf Warrior II,” another patriotic war film.

Already the top film of 2021 globally, Chinese war epic The Battle At Lake Changjin is taking over the title of highest grossing movie ever in China, edging the previous leader, 2017’s Wolf Warrior 2. Through Wednesday evening local time, Lake Changjin had reached an estimated RMB 5.693B ($890M) after 56 days in release.

Naman Ramachandran Malaysian authorities have declined to approve the Chinese war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” for theatrical release after outrage emerged online that the film promotes Communism, which is banned in the country.The film’s local distributor Mega Film Distribution said in a statement that it is considering submitting the title again for reconsideration by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (LPF), and expressed its regrets that the film which has grossed $890 million so

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefCrime comedy film “Be Somebody” expanded its box office take by 20% in its second weekend of release in China and joined in a 49% surge in nationwide gross revenues.Nationwide box office climbed from $43.1 million in the previous weekend to $64.3 million between Friday and Sunday.

Rising Irish indie-rock outfit Modernlove have released their anthemic new single, Us. 

Cristiano Ronaldo proved his class once again by embracing a young pitch invader after Portugal's goalless draw with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Thursday night.

Rebecca Davis editorChinese distributor CMC Pictures said Wednesday that it will release jingoistic Chinese war film “The Battle at Lake Changjin” in North America next week.The film is currently the highest grossing title in the world and in China so far in 2021, having already earned RMB5.60 billion ($877 million) in its home market alone.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Sinéad O’Connor have been announced as headliners of Ireland’s All Together Now Festival next year.The multi-day festival, which has been cancelled the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, is set to take place across July 29-31, 2022 at Curraghmore House in County Waterford, Ireland.Groove Armada and Underworld will headline alongside Cave and O’Connor.

Hogwarts Legacy, the highly anticipated action RPG set in the world of Harry Potter, may be released in late 2022.As spotted by VGC, the potential release window was mentioned in Toy World Magazine, a physical trade magazine for toy retailers. The magazine interviewed Warner Bros.

As she fills in for regular host Elaine Crowley on Ireland AM, Lisa Cannon has shared some delightful behind-the-scenes footage alongside singer Paul Byrum and a very special guest.

Naman Ramachandran Kenneth Branagh‘s “Belfast” and the late Roger Michell‘s “The Duke” will release theatrically in the U.K. on Jan.

Jamie Dornan and Amelia Warner never fail to be couple goals but they really had us swooning at the premiere of his new movie Belfast on Thursday night.

Irish singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot has released a poignant new single Hello Gorgeous, taken from his upcoming EP Make Believe. 

Naman Ramachandran Hannah Waddingham, Emmy winner for Apple TV Plus series “Ted Lasso,” is joining leads Solly McLeod and Sophie Wilde in the cast of Masterpiece and U.K. broadcaster ITV’s literary classic adaptation, “Tom Jones.”Waddingham has been cast as the seductive and vengeful Lady Bellaston in the miniseries, which is currently filming in Northern Ireland.

And I wondered would there ever be a release date for Just Like That?