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Sony Opens Virtual Production Studio in Shanghai, China - variety.com - China - Japan - county Patrick
variety.com
14.04.2023 / 10:35

Sony Opens Virtual Production Studio in Shanghai, China

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japanese electronics giant, Sony has opened a virtual production studio in Shanghai, China, that it says can be used for shooting film, TV and commercials. The studio opened last month and is jointly operated with Gwantsi, one of China’s largest commercials production companies. Virtual production involves the use of high-resolution screens that create a backdrop in front of which actors perform. This can reduce the need for location travel, cut set-up times, shorten post-production and provide a more life-like environment for performers than traditional green-screen environments. VP studios are also well adapted to motion capture production.

China’s Wanda Seeks Buyers for Australia’s Hoyts Cinema Chain - variety.com - Australia - China - county Morgan
variety.com
12.04.2023 / 15:25

China’s Wanda Seeks Buyers for Australia’s Hoyts Cinema Chain

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Wanda, the Chinese conglomerate that once threatened to take over Hollywood, has put up for sale the Hoyts cinema chain in Australia that it bought in 2015. Hoyts is Australia’s second largest movie theater operator with 46 multiplexes housing 412 screens, according to 2022 data from Screen Australia. It also owns Val Morgan, Australia’s biggest cinema advertising firm.Wanda Cinema Line, itself China’s biggest theater operator, has appointed Credit Suisse and Nomura to handle the sale. Bidders are understood to have access to a “stapled debt” package (a line of agreed financing arranged by the banks) if the potential buyer cannot arrange sufficient finance of their own. A first deadline for bids is set at the beginning of May, with final offers to be submitted by the end of June.

Korea Box Office: ‘Rebound’ Fails to Provide Bounce on Quietest Weekend of the Year - variety.com - South Korea - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
11.04.2023 / 02:15

Korea Box Office: ‘Rebound’ Fails to Provide Bounce on Quietest Weekend of the Year

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japanese animation “Suzume” held on to top spot for a fifth consecutive weekend at the South Korean box office, as Korean-produced sports film “Rebound” proved to be misnamed. Arriving only in second place, “Rebound” failed to provide any bounce to the beleaguered cinema sector, leaving the weekend as the lowest scoring this year.

China Box Office: Jackie Chan’s ‘Ride On’ Leads Weekend, Ahead of ‘Super Mario Bros’ in Fourth Place - variety.com - China - Japan
variety.com
10.04.2023 / 04:47

China Box Office: Jackie Chan’s ‘Ride On’ Leads Weekend, Ahead of ‘Super Mario Bros’ in Fourth Place

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Jackie Chan-starring stunt-man comedy drama “Ride On” pratfalled its way to first place at the mainland Chinese box office with a lowball $11.7 million opening. Still, that was enough to beat another new release, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which ranked fourth over the latest weekend. Chan is an enduring, but fading, star in China and in the past his new release titles were often scheduled for the three biggest holiday seasons. “Ride On,” which sees Chan in an ode to the stunt players he has worked with, was released two days after the Ching Ming (Wednesday 5 April) holiday, when many folks honor their ancestors. Its opening three days were enough to depose “Suzume” from the top spot, where “Suzume” had ranked for the previous two weekends. “Suzume” earned $8.0 million over the latest weekend in China, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. That gives it a $103 million cumulative after 17 days in mainland theaters, a China record for a Japanese animation film.

Lu Chuan’s Olympic Documentary Set to Open Beijing Film Festival - variety.com - China - Thailand - city Buenos Aires - city Shanghai - city Beijing
variety.com
05.04.2023 / 05:05

Lu Chuan’s Olympic Documentary Set to Open Beijing Film Festival

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Beijing 2022,” the official documentary about the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, has been set as the opening film of the revived Beijing International Film Festival. It is directed by noted narrative and documentary film maker Lu Chuan (“Kekexili,” “City of Life and Death” and Disney’s “Born in China”) and will have its world premiere at the festival. The festival will run April 22-29 and be based in the Huairou district which has become an out of town hub for the film industry, as well as other venues in the Chinese capital. For the past three editions the BJIFF has been held online due to disruptions caused by China’s strict anti-COVID measures.

‘New Religion’ Japanese Body Horror Film Set as Screambox Original (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - USA - Japan - Lisbon - city Warsaw
variety.com
05.04.2023 / 01:33

‘New Religion’ Japanese Body Horror Film Set as Screambox Original (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to the Japanese sci-fi horror film “New Religion.” “New Religion” is a surrealist body horror film written, directed and produced by first-time feature filmmaker Kondo Keishi. It stars Seto Kaho, Nunami Daiki, Oka Satoshi and Ryuseigun Saionji. After her daughter’s death, divorced Miyabi begins working as a call girl. One day, she meets an unsettling customer who wants to take pictures of her body parts. Soon, she realizes that every time she allows her body to be photographed her daughter’s spirit gets closer. She must decide how far she is willing to go to connect with her daughter once again.

Shanghai Film Festival Sets Dates for Return to In-Person 25th Edition - variety.com - China - city Shanghai
variety.com
04.04.2023 / 05:49

Shanghai Film Festival Sets Dates for Return to In-Person 25th Edition

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Shanghai International Film Festival has unveiled plans for its return to an in-person event that will mark its 25th edition and its 30th anniversary. The festival was canceled last year, due to the severe restrictions imposed on the city in reaction to a Spring flare-up in the COVID outbreak. The 2023 edition will run June 9-18, 2023, organizers confirmed on Tuesday. They said it would, “open a two-way journey between Chinese films and world films.” The Jinjue (Golden Goblet) Awards competition will this year operate across five categories: main feature film competition, Asian newcomers, documentaries, animation and short films.

China Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Opens in Fourth Place as ‘Suzume’ Reigns - variety.com - China - Japan
variety.com
03.04.2023 / 04:03

China Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Opens in Fourth Place as ‘Suzume’ Reigns

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” opened in fourth place at the mainland China box office with a muted $5 million haul. Top honors belonged to Japanese animation film “Suzume” for the second weekend. “Suzume” incurred a 55% week-on-week drop, falling from $49.6 million in its opening weekend, to $22.1 million in is second, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. After ten days in Chinese theaters, “Suzume” now has a cumulative total of $80.6 million. Nevertheless, its lead at the top of the box office chart was unassailable. The weekend’s best-placed new release title was “Hachiko,” a Chinese retelling of the Japanese tale of a dog which faithfully waited at a station for its master years after his death. (The story was previously given a U.S. version with Richard Gere in the lead human role.) It earned $8.9 million (RMB61.2 million) in its opening weekend.

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Reigns for Fourth Weekend as ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Makes Second Place Start - variety.com - South Korea - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
03.04.2023 / 01:45

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Reigns for Fourth Weekend as ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Makes Second Place Start

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” landed into second place at a depressed South Korean box office with a market share barely a fifth that of chart leader “Suzume.” The Japanese animation film earned $4.46 million in its fourth week of release, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). While that was a 26% week-on-week drop, its hold on the chart remained at over 60%. Since releasing on March 8, it has grossed $29.9 million, making it the second highest film of the year in Korea – behind another Japanese animation “The First Slam Dunk” on $35.1 million. “D&D” was the weekend’s top-placed new release and earned $958,000 for a 13% market share. Over the full five days since its opening on Wednesday, it achieved $1.36 million.

Cardi B and Family Join Voice Cast of ‘Baby Shark’ Animated Movie - variety.com - China - USA - city Seoul
variety.com
31.03.2023 / 08:47

Cardi B and Family Join Voice Cast of ‘Baby Shark’ Animated Movie

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief American rap musician Cardi B has joined the voice cast of upcoming animation film “Baby Shark’s Big Movie!” The film is the first feature-length spin-off from “Baby Shark’s Big Show!,” a pre-school series which began in 2021 on Nickelodeon-branded channels and platforms and is now in its second season. The show is co-produced by Nickelodeon Animation and Seoul, Korea-based The Pinkfong Company and directed by Alan Foreman (“The Casagrandes,” “Welcome to the Wayne”). Its narrative follows Baby Shark and his family as they move to Chomp City, the big city of sharks.

China’s ‘Bad Kids’ Series Set for Film Remake in Japan – Global Bulletin - variety.com - China - city Seoul - Japan
variety.com
29.03.2023 / 12:35

China’s ‘Bad Kids’ Series Set for Film Remake in Japan – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “The Bad Kids,” a hit series from Chinese streamer iQiyi, is to be remade as a Japanese feature film “Gold Boy.” The 12-episode gritty crime thriller depicts the troubles that arise after three children accidentally film a murder. The series was previously licensed to Japanese pay-TV group Wowow.

China’s Alibaba Unveils Corporate Restructuring - variety.com - New York - China - Hong Kong - city Hong Kong
variety.com
28.03.2023 / 12:57

China’s Alibaba Unveils Corporate Restructuring

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce and media group, unveiled a top to bottom corporate restructuring that it says is intended to “unlock shareholder value and foster market competitiveness.”  The group, which has a current market capitalization of $228 billion, will split itself into six divisions of differing sizes. Each unit will have a CEO and a board of directors and can pursue independent fund-raising or even IPOs, when they are ready. At present Alibaba has its shares and ADR shares listed in Hong Kong and New York. Some parts of its media business also have their own Hong Kong share listing Alibaba Pictures. (And there is a healthcare business with yet another share quote.)

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Expands in Third Week as Japanese Animation Extends Strong Year - variety.com - South Korea - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
27.03.2023 / 02:25

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Expands in Third Week as Japanese Animation Extends Strong Year

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hit Japanese animation “Suzume” improved its box office performance in its third week of release in South Korea and remained far ahead of all competing titles. “Suzume” earned $6.06 million over the weekend between Friday and Sunday, a 7% increase on its previous weekend, itself a strong hold that almost equalled its opening session. Data is sourced from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The film, which has been a huge hit in Japan and some other Asian territories, enjoyed a 66% share of the entire Korean cinema box office over the most recent weekend and expanded its cumulative haul to $23.9 million after 19 days on release.

Netflix Announces Series ‘Ooku: The Inner Chambers’ at Anime Japan Event - variety.com - Japan - Tokyo - city Baku
variety.com
25.03.2023 / 07:07

Netflix Announces Series ‘Ooku: The Inner Chambers’ at Anime Japan Event

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Netflix has announced new series “Ooku: The Inner Chambers,” the first anime adaptation of a hit Japanese manga by Yoshinaga Fumi. At the ongoing Anime Japan convention in Tokyo, the streamer also unveiled “Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune,” another anime series, adapted from a military sci-fi novel by Carlo Zen and set to upload in May. Directed by Abe Noriyuki and produced by Studio Deen, “Ooku” is inspired by tales emerging from the Ooku women’s quarters within Edo Castle and imagines that gender roles are reversed. After a plague threatens the male population women take up positions of authority. The new (female) Shogun Yoshimune enquires into why the women adopt male names when taking power and starts to unravel other mysteries within the inner sanctum. The original manga was published by Hakusensha / Melody.

Viz Media Poised to Score With Soccer Anime Series ‘Captain Tsubasa’ (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Paris - USA - Japan
variety.com
23.03.2023 / 04:23

Viz Media Poised to Score With Soccer Anime Series ‘Captain Tsubasa’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Viz Media has picked up a wide collection of rights in North America and Latin America to animated Japanese sports series “Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc.” The series is adapted from a popular manga by Yoichi Takahashi and is licensed by Shueisha Inc. The deal includes digital streaming, TV, electronic sell-thru, home video and merchandise rights for North and Latin American territories. The new series is currently being produced by Studio KAI, with the official main staff including: director Ono Katsumi; character design and executive animation director, Watanabe Hajime; and series composition, Tomioka Atsuhiro. The voice cast includes Sanpei Yuko as Tsubasa Ozora, Gukuyama Jun as Karl Heinz Schneider and Suzumura Kenichi as Wakabayashi Genzo and Hyuga Kojiro as Sato Takuya. It is set to launch October 2023.

Annual Profits at Tencent Fall to $27 Billion Following China Slowdown - variety.com - China
variety.com
22.03.2023 / 16:29

Annual Profits at Tencent Fall to $27 Billion Following China Slowdown

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief It is becoming harder not to perceive Tencent, China’s tech and entertainment giant and the world’s largest games firm by revenue, as a utility. It is now too big to be a growth stock darling and too widely-spread to escape the gravity of China’s underlying economic trends. Revenues in calendar 2022 flatlined at RMB554 billion, while net profits dropped 16% to RMB188.2 billion ($27.0 billion). The decrease reflected China’s economic reversal that began in the second quarter of the year with the arrival of a new COVID strain and stricter government measures to combat it. Tencent’s advertising revenues fell slightly, costs rose somewhat, and subscriber number were mixed – rising in music, but falling in video.

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ Mysteriously Pulled From Hong Kong Theaters Two Days Before Premiere - variety.com - China - Hong Kong - city Hong Kong - Macau
variety.com
21.03.2023 / 18:29

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ Mysteriously Pulled From Hong Kong Theaters Two Days Before Premiere

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The theatrical release of low-budget slasher movie “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” in Hong Kong has been abruptly canceled just two days before its scheduled outing. No explanation has been offered, but suspicions that the film may have crossed one of Hong Kong’s increasingly complicated political red lines are certain to be raised. That is because the Winnie the Pooh character is unflatteringly perceived to have a physical resemblance to China’s president, Xi Jinping. Online search for Winnie the Pooh is heavily censored within mainland China and Winnie the Pooh products are not distributed. China did not permit the import and release of Disney’s 2018 Winnie the Pooh film “Christopher Robin.”

Kodansha Launching K Manga Japanese Comics Platform in U.S. - variety.com - Japan
variety.com
21.03.2023 / 17:13

Kodansha Launching K Manga Japanese Comics Platform in U.S.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading Japanese publisher, Kodansha is to launch an online comic book distribution service from May. Titled K Manga, the operation will go live in May and be exclusive to readers in the U.S. The company is publisher of many of the best-known manga titles in history including “Attack on Titan” and “Ghost in the Shell.” These and some 400 others will be available at the launch of the serialization platform.

China Box Office: ‘Shazam!’ and ‘M3gan’ Open Weakly - variety.com - China
variety.com
20.03.2023 / 08:27

China Box Office: ‘Shazam!’ and ‘M3gan’ Open Weakly

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hollywood’s new release titles fantasy action adventure “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and horror thriller “M3gan” made only modest impressions on the box office in mainland China in their opening weekends. The box office chart was led by “Post-Truth,” a Chinese comedy which probes the impact of social media in a story about a wronged small-time businessman. It earned $18.8 million (RMB130 million) in its second weekend of release, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. That was an increase of more than 10% on its opening frame. After ten days on release, “Post-Truth” has a cumulative of $51.2 million (RMB353 million).

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Charges to $15 Million Total on Second Weekend - variety.com - South Korea - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
20.03.2023 / 05:33

Korea Box Office: ‘Suzume’ Charges to $15 Million Total on Second Weekend

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japanese animation “Suzume” retained the top spot at the South Korean box office for a second weekend, far outstripping holdover titles and newcomers including “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” On its second weekend of release, “Suzume” earned $5.65 million, just a small fraction below its opening weekend score of $5.71 million. Underlining its dominance, the film increased its market share from 60% previously to 62%. After 12 days of release, the film has accumulated $15.8 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

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