Disney Shutting At Least 60 Retail Stores In North America, Will Focus More On E-Commerce

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefRakuten Viki, a streaming platform specializing in Asian content and fan-generated sub-titles, is launching a transactional VOD function in North America. The new functionality kicks off with two recent Korean movies, “Josee” and “New Year Blues.”Backed by Japanese e-commerce and entertainment group Rakuten, Viki currently operates an ad-supported video service (AVOD) and two tiers of subscription video (SVOD).

inaccurate, Americanized version of one of the most beloved tales in Chinese culture.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefA North American rights deal for mainland Chinese fantasy action film ‘God of War II, was one of several film sales deals struck by Hong Kong’s Media Asia at the recent European Film Market and the ongoing FilMart.Directed by Cai Cong, and starring Charles Lin, Liu Yuxi and David Wu, the film was completed in 2020.

March 2021 has been full of reminders of the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. “The Last Cruise” trailer invokes one of the earliest indicators that something was about the change — the Diamond Princess Curse ship.

Japanese box office phenomenon Demon Slayer – Kimetsu No Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train has been set for a North American theatrical release on April 23. Aniplex of America and Funimation are distributing the anime adaptation which in December became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history, dethroning Spirited Away, which had held the title for 19 years. Check out a subtitled trailer below.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Sexual Drive,” a Japanese film about desire which premiered at January’s Rotterdam film festival, will be released in North America, following a licensing deal between sales agent Fortissimo Films and local distributor Film Movement. The deal was agreed following the recent European Film Market.Film Movement plans to show “Sexual Drive” at other festivals and also release it theatrically this year.

consumes half of the world’s pork is rapidly moving toward a vegan revolution. China has an $86 billion meat market and is responsible for eating 28 percent of the global supply, with the average Chinese person devouring 11 pounds of meat annually, but that may soon change, The Guardian reports. This change is apparently due to a cultural and market shift toward more environmentally aware middle-class consumers, who are beginning to prioritize saving the planet over eating pork daily as a sign

Hollywood filmmaking is off to a sorry start in 2021 in China's huge theatrical market. Following the fourth-place debut of Warner Bros.' Tom and Jerry a week ago, Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon opened in third place over the weekend, taking in just $8.4 million.

Rebecca Davis editorDespite its emphasis on Asian representation and Southeast Asian themes, Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” failed to soar in China, coming in third with just $8.4 million, according to Maoyan data.

Refresh for latest…: Disney’s Raya And The Last Dragon didn’t exactly come roaring out of the gate at the international box office with $17.6M from 32 markets. The global bow, including domestic’s launch, was $26.2M. Double-digit million-dollar debuts for Hollywood movies in the pandemic era are still a rare positive — and we’ve certainly seen family movies excel — but while not all openings are apples-to-apples, Raya’s start is being seen as a somewhat muted affair.

Shawn Mendes recently posted an adoring tribute to his girlfriend Camila Cabello who turned 24 today! The Havana singer received a special birthday shoutout from the Wonder singer via Instagram. "Happy birthday to the kindest, bravest and most beautiful person I've ever known.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorTech giant Apple has now reopened all 270 of its retail locations in the U.S. in some capacity, nearly a year after shutting them down indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.Apple on March 13, 2020, had announced the closure of all Apple Stores outside of China as a precaution to slow the spread of COVID-19.On Monday (March 1), Apple retail locations in Texas in the Houston, Dallas and San Antonio areas are now open, the last stores in the U.S.