‘Caught In Time’ Leads China Weekend; Japan’s ‘Demon Slayer’ Continues Killer Run – International Box Office

YouTube and other digital platforms.A large crowd chanted “Hang on, CTiTV” and held up signs reading “Thank you CTiTV, we will see you again.” Employees, some tearing up, sang songs and swayed in unison wearing matching blue windbreakers.Liao Chia-yu, a language teacher, said she would keep watching CTiTV on YouTube. “I also hope they don’t forget their ideals,” Liao said.

Rebecca Davis editorPatriotic Chinese viewers flexed their muscles this weekend to topple Paul W.S. Anderson’s “Monster Hunter,” which grossed just $4.8 million before it was pulled from cinemas due to complaints that interpreted a line of dialogue to be racist and “insulting to China.” In a slow week, however, that was enough to net it a fifth place open, even though cinemas had entirely pulled the title from their line-ups by early Saturday.

It was a drama-filled weekend at the Chinese multiplex. Tencent's big-budget video game adaptation Monster Hunter was yanked from cinemas one day into its release over a scene local audiences decried as derogatory.

Refresh for latest…: Sunday’s international box office reporting looks vastly different to what was expected coming into the weekend. A Friday gross that portended a high-teens launch for Monster Hunter in China was quickly thwarted when local authorities pulled the feature game adaptation from the country’s cinemas.

supply chain problems are already surfacing — AMC Theaters has already voiced its objections to the studio’s plans and promised to defend its interests in ongoing talks.“Croods: A New Age” will soon join the ranks of early streaming releases, as the deal made between Universal and several major theater chains will allow them to release the film on PVOD after next weekend.

Universal's The Croods: A New Age was the decisive winner of a competitive three-way race at China's box office over the weekend, topping both holdover local hit Caught in Time and the latest release from venerated Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou. Croods 2 opened in China to a healthy $19.2 million, which was $5 million more than its five-day holiday start in North America.

Despite the most challenged Thanksgiving box office in modern times, The Croods: A New Age managed to come in ahead of projections with a five-day holiday debut of $14.2 million, including $9.7 million for the weekend. Overseas, the family film launched in seven markets to $20.8 million — led by $19.2 million in China — for a global bow of $35 million.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentThe period action animation “Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train” has passed “Titanic” at the Japanese box office to become the territory’s number two all-time hit, according to figures announced on Monday by distributor Aniplex.Based on Gotoge Koyoharu’s hit comic that has sold more than 100 copies in all formats, including digital, the film had earned $264 million from 20.5 million admissions as of Nov. 29, some 45 days since its opening on Oct.

The Croods: A New Age earned $3.9 million on Black Friday for a better-than-expected five-day debut of $14 million-plus in North America if projections hold. That includes a three-day weekend tally of $9.7 million, as strong as Tenet.

The Croods: A New Age is on top at movie theaters.

Refresh for latest…: DreamWorks Animation/Universal’s The Croods: A New Age led the weekend in China with a $19.2M debut, outpacing local titles One Second and Caught In Time. This is the third best bow for a studio movie in the Middle Kingdom during the pandemic era (behind Tenet and Mulan).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHit variety TV show “China’s Got Talent” has been renewed for a seventh season and will be produced by Shanghai Canxing Culture and Media for Star China Media.The “Got Talent” property was created by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, with the international rights represented by Fremantle. The two companies are the format’s co-owners.“ ‘China’s Got Talent’ is renowned for discovering new and incredible local talent.

Fremantle and Syco Entertainment have announced that China’s Got Talent has been renewed for a seventh season, but declined to reveal what network will broadcast the show, raising questions about Dragon TV’s future involvement.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHong Kong-produced “Caught in Time” gave fresh life to the mainland China box office over its opening weekend.The fantasy crime thriller about a cop chasing a gang through different eras earned $30.3 million. Produced by Emperor Motion Picture, the film stars the popular Daniel Wu and Wang Qianyuan, and was directed by Lau Ho-leung.It edged aside patriotic war film “Sacrifice” which had held the top spot for the previous three weekends.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorMore news on the Monster Hunter and Wonder Woman 1984 fronts with China dates now set for both films. The former, starring Milla Jovovich, has landed a December 4 release in the Middle Kingdom while Warner Bros/DC’s Gal Gadot sequel is due on December 18.

Lady Gaga may be joining the star-studded cast of David Leitch’s upcoming assassin thriller film, Bullet Train.As reported by Collider, the Oscar-winning singer and actress has apparently joined Brad Pitt, Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Andrew Koji, Masi Oka and Michael Shannon for the film.The script, written by Zak Olkewicz, is based off Japanese author Kotaro Isaka’s novel, Maria Beetle.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorGeoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong), Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising, Dietland), Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch National Broadway Tour), Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok, Soul), Ann Truong (Strikeback!, Hard Target 2) and Hoa Xuande (Ronny Chieng: International Student, Top of the Lake) have joined the cast of Cowboy Bebop, Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the cult Japanese animated series.