China’s ‘Battle at Lake Changjin’ Becomes 2021’s Highest-Grossing Film Worldwide, Preps Sequel

Rebecca Davis editorChinese film authorities on Wednesday granted both “Dune” and “No Time to Die” one month longer in local theaters, giving the Hollywood blockbusters a full two months on the big screen in the world’s largest film market.The former will now run through Dec. 21 and the latter through Dec.

Rebecca Davis editorOver the next five years, China plans to expand its fleet of movie screens to more than 100,000 and release at least 50 $15 million-grossing films a year as it seeks to retain its title as the world’s largest film market, according to a new government plan outlining current film industry priorities.The targets are among the most concrete presented in a new five-year plan for Chinese film spanning from 2021 to 2025, which replaces an earlier 10-year strategy spanning 2011 to

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorIt’s been 14 years since Kirsten Dunst last played Mary Jane Watson in the “Spider-Man” franchise.Dunst now says that she’s open to returning to the web-slinger’s world. “I would do it.

Rebecca Davis editorTrinity Cine Asia has acquired “The Battle at Lake Changjin” from Taipei-based sales firm Distribution Workshop and is set to release the war epic in the U.K. and Ireland on Nov.

Rebecca Davis editorChinese authorities announced this week that a major $8 billion (RMB51 billion) Paramount theme park resort and arts complex will be built on the shores of Dianchi Lake in southwestern Yunnan province’s capital city Kunming.The Paramount resort itself will span an area of 643 acres out of the broader Paramount-branded development project’s total 1,899 acres.

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.

Rebecca Davis editor“Spider-Man: No Way Home” indicated Monday with a new Chinese poster that it could soon hit Chinese screens — which would make it the first Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Four film to pass censorship and screening approvals so far. The film, set to debut only in theaters, hasn’t yet set a formal China release date.

No Time to Die” dropped by 59% in its second weekend at the Chinese box office. But it still held on to the top spot in the Middle Kingdom.Data from Artisan Gateway showed that “No Time to Die” scored $11.4 million between Friday and Sunday.

Rebecca Davis editorChinese Animation firm Winsing is participating in the American Film Market this year for the first time, stepping out to present its flagship “GG Bond” animated film series and its derivatives.The company is also seeking to introduce its subsidiary Iron Fan Studio, a CG animation studio established under Winsing in 2019 that specializes in outsourced animation production services, including work in AR and VR.

Rebecca Davis editorSmall but growing production firm Midnight Blur Films has had a strong fall.Its soft sci-fi feature “Journey to the West” just won top accolades at China’s Pingyao Intl.

Rebecca Davis editorFilm scholar and former director of Taiwan’s Film Archive Huang Jianye is set to chair the jury for the 58th iteration of the Taipei-based Golden Horse Awards, the festival said Wednesday.The awards are now heading into the third year without participants from China after a controversial awards speech in 2018 included mentions of Taiwanese independence.

Dark Glasses, the new film from Dario Argento, has just been released.The feature marks Argento’s first movie as director in 10 years, and will be released via Wild Bunch International.A synopsis for Dark Glasses obtained by Screen Daily reads: “Ilenia Pastorellistars as a prostitute blinded by a serial killer in a botched attack who takes in a young Chinese boy, whose life has also been abruptly altered forever by the maniac’s actions.“He will become her ally in a terrifying struggle to see off

Last Week Tonight.Cena came under fire in May after calling Taiwan a country during an interview. The actor, who was promoting Fast And Furious 9, said that Taiwan, an island separated from mainland China by the Taiwan Strait, would be the first “country” able to watch the film.“I made one mistake,” Cena said afterwards on Chinese social media network Weibo (as per South China Morning Post). “I love and respect China and Chinese people.

Rebecca Davis editorThe initial excitement and relief among Chinese fans that “Dune” passed government censorship was soon tempered by outrage that the initial release plan didn’t include an Imax 2D version of Denis Villeneuve’s keenly anticipated sci-fi thriller.Hundreds flooded the comments section of Imax’s official Weibo and online message boards last month to vent their frustration, while a few dozen took part in an email campaign to the company.Some said that if there was no Imax 2D

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver tackled the topic of Taiwan on Sunday night which made for the perfect opportunity to mock John Cena.

Rebecca Davis editor“Dune” was unable to surpass Chinese propaganda war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” to take the top spot on its China opening day Friday, coming in second with just $6.45 million (RMB41.2 million) according to Maoyan data, despite a protracted charm offensive to raise awareness about the film in the increasingly sci-fi hungry country.As of the early hours of Saturday local time, the Maoyan platform now estimates that it will mine a total of just $30.9 million (RMB197

Enes Kanter and the NBA’s Boston Celtics opened ESPN’s regular-season schedule with a dramatic, double-overtime game won by the New York Knicks. But social media posts by Kanter before the game wound up being much more consequential.

Rebecca Davis editorDeadly flooding did not divert this year’s Pingyao International Film Festival from running its full course, with the event drawing to a close Monday with an award ceremony honoring Egyptian director Omar El Zohairy, India’s Natesh Hegde, and China’s Kong Dashan and Wei Shujun with top prizes.Many anticipated that this fifth edition of the festival would be different, given the shifting role of its co-founder and leading light, director Jia Zhangke.