Dr. Anthony Fauci, under attack for his role in funding research at a laboratory many suspect of being the cause of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, defended his actions Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union talk show.
10.07.2021 - 07:31 / variety.com
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese regulators have formally blocked the proposed merger of Huya and Douyu, two of the country’s largest live streaming operators. The planned merger had been orchestrated by social media and gaming giant Tencent and had been valued at approximately $5.3 billion.The announcement was made by the State Administration for Market Regulation in an online statement on Saturday morning, after relevant stock markets had closed.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, under attack for his role in funding research at a laboratory many suspect of being the cause of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, defended his actions Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union talk show.
Tencent has announced plans to fully acquire British gaming studio Sumo Digital in a $1.27 billion deal, increasing its previous ownership stake of 8.75%.Previously the second-biggest shareholder of Sumo Digital, the Chinese tech giant has placed an offer representing a 43% premium on Sumo’s current valuation.
Rebecca Davis editorC.B. Yi’s Un Certain Regard title “Moneyboys” is a moving exploration of Chinese rural-to-urban migration that feels authentically emotional despite being peppered with incongruous moments and details.The film follows Fei (Kai Ko), who moves from the countryside to Chinese cities to support his family as a hustler.
Rebecca Davis editorChinese authorities in a number of counties nationwide plan to bar residents who have not been vaccinated from entering indoor entertainment venues, like cinemas, as part of its attempt to significantly ramp up its vaccination campaign.Policies restricting the movement and entry of unvaccinated people will been rolled out in various places around the country throughout the month of July. Chinese cinemas have been operating at 75% capacity since re-opening nationwide in July
Read more: At home with the Welsh entrepreneur who flopped on The Apprentice but now runs a £16m business and drives a Ferrari From being mobbed in the supermarket by fans to learning Welsh while living in China, Iain has revealed how he ended up as a celeb on the other side of the world. Born in Southampton and raised in Cardiff, the now 43-year-old is currently a bilingual presenter on a prime time Chinese television show.
Rebecca Davis editorThe tear-jerking, patriotic pandemic film “Chinese Doctors” locked down a $53.5 million China opening weekend, according to Maoyan, setting itself up to become the most commercially successful political tribute film so far this year.Such films have been helped along by a line-up cleared of competitors.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Nocturna,” an Argentinian-made fantasy film that played last month in the Shanghai International Film Festival’s midnight fantasy section, has been picked up by Chinese company Naropean.Naropean, which shares executives with HGC Entertainment, one of the more prominent Chinese IP groups, has taken rights for China, Asia and Oceania, as well as remake rights.
Rebecca Davis editorThe U.S. film industry is heaving a sigh of relief that “Black Widow” is poised to become the highest grossing domestic debut of the post-pandemic era, marking America’s return to moviegoing in force.The Scarlett Johansson-starrer is projected to earn around $80 million in its North American opening weekend, beating out “F9” last month.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefNa Jiazuo, one of the few Chinese directors to make it to the Cannes Film Festival this year, says he learned from the best in the business. His “Streetwise” (aka “Gaey Wa’r”) unspools in Un Certain Regard and is eligible for the Camera d’Or, reflecting Na’s status as a rookie feature director.The picture is a gritty, largely nocturnal, portrait of a group of young adults in an unfashionable town as they come to terms with life’s uneasy lot.
Endeavor China, which just named a new group CEO, Thursday announced the acquisition of Shanghai-based Mailman Group, a digital agency for sports brands and rights holders.
Tencent has announced that it is using facial recognition on mobile phones software to stop children from playing games late at night.According to The Register, Tencent sent out a press release stating that players will need to use facial recognition software that stops children playing between 10pm and 8am.
Rebecca Davis editorEndeavor’s China offshoot announced Thursday that it has acquired the Shanghai-headquartered digital marketing agency Mailman Group and its Seven League subsidiary. Prior reports estimate the deal to be valued at $60 million.The move comes as Endeavor seeks to expand its footprint in the sports marketing space in China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Ashton Kutcher has a strong opinion about China's influence via social media. The 43-year-old actor recently appeared on the American Optimist YouTube channel and spoke about protecting children from various crimes on the internet.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefFortissimo Films, the Amsterdam- and Beijing-based film rights sales company, is launching a talent agency that will represent international talent in the growing Chinese film industry.As the Chinese film industry expands and matures, Chinese directors and producers are keen to work with overseas talents.
Rebecca Davis editorChina’s two new propaganda films topped the box office over their first weekend in theaters, but it appears that the politically correct content may not prove popular enough to drive sales at blockbuster levels.Most of the biggest local blockbusters set to hit China over the rest of the year are propaganda titles.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefA raft of measures taken by China to control its tech firms and expand national security protection are rattling the entertainment sector and internet giants at home and abroad.On Sunday, Chinese regulators shocked stock markets by banning downloads of ride hailing app Didi Chuxing. Other than another enforcement action two days earlier, which blocked Didi from accepting new users, the company apparently had no notice of the latest action.