International Box Office 2023: Turnstiles Danced With Growth In Key Markets While The Floor For Big Titles Dropped & China Shrugged; Global Studio Rankings

Refresh for latest…:We’re still in a holdover pattern for Hollywood at the global and international box office, though milestones continue to be reached on an offshore and worldwide basis for existing releases. Meanwhile, Anyone But You saw an uptick overseas and drops were good for others (including newly-minted Oscar nominees). One new local entry, India’s Fighter, flew to the top of the global weekend chart. 

The Zutons have released their funky new single ‘Creeping On The Dancefloor’.‘Creeping On The Dancefloor’ is the Liverpool band’s first new music in 16 years, and was recorded all the way back during the pandemic. The single is taken from their upcoming album ‘The Big Decider’, produced by the legendary Nile Rodgers and Ian Broudie.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Sony Pictures‘ “Madame Web,” a standalone origin story in the studio’s array of “Spider-Man”-based Marvel characters, has been granted a theatrical release in mainland China. The film will open in the country on March 1 — two weeks after the title’s Valentine’s Day bow in North America and multiple international territories, including the Chinese-language markets of Taiwan and Hong Kong. The release marks a welcome opportunity for Sony, which, along with the other traditional studios faced difficulty in securing theatrical runs in China over recent years.

EXCLUSIVE: The Ford Foundation is coming through for documentary filmmakers in a big way.  

The inaugural Hong Kong International Film Festival Industry – CAA China Genre Initiative (HCG) has set its first projects which will be showcased during the 28th Hong Kong International Film & TV Market alongside the 22nd Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum running from March 11-13.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Six projects have been announced as participating in the inaugural edition of the HKIFF Industry – CAA China Genre Initiative, a project incubator in Hong Kong for Chinese-language genre films. The HCG platform will run March 11-13, 2024, alongside the 22nd Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FilMart), Asia’s largest film and TV rights market. From the six, two winning projects will each receive a cash prize of $20,000 for development funding.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Chinese filmmaker Lin Jianjie‘s debut feature “Brief History of a Family,” which is being sold by Films Boutique, has debuted its trailer (below), following its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the Sundance Film Festival. The film, which will make its European premiere in the Panorama program of the Berlin Film Festival, was received warmly by Variety critic Carlos Aguilar. In the review, Aguilar says the suspenseful drama was “elevated by its consistent visual inventiveness.” He adds that although at first it seems to be the story of a “cunning infiltrator wreaking havoc in an unsuspecting household,” it then “reveals itself as a tale of wish fulfillment for everyone involved.” Aguilar says that it is this approach which “turns Lin’s debut into an engrossing brain-tickler.” The drama is put in motion by an incident at the high school attended by Wei, an outgoing only son from a middle-class family, and Shuo, his quiet, perceptive classmate.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Gaumont has unveiled a first still and trailer for “Black Tea,” Abderrahmane Sissako‘s highly anticipated follow-up to his 2015 Oscar-nominated film “Timbuktu.” The movie will world premiere in competition at the Berlin Film Festival. A lushly-lensed romance drama, “Black Tea” (previously titled “The Perfumed Hill“) tells the story of Joice, who leaves the Ivory Coast after walking out on her wedding day and sets off to start a new life in Guangzhou, China.

So, here we are in mid-January, and though we’re staring down the barrel of a tough year ahead, it’s not all wintry doom and gloom on an international box office (and combined global) level. 

Richard Kuipers Taiwan’s transformation from an authoritarian state to a flourishing democracy determined to decide its own future is charted in the engrossing and highly informative documentary “Invisible Nation.” Centered on President Tsai Ing-wen as she promotes her country’s case for ongoing autonomy in the face of mounting political isolation, as well as China’s claim that Taiwan is part of its territory and must unite with the mainland, Vanessa Hope’s skilfully assembled film delivers a compelling picture of Taiwan’s increasingly precarious position in the region and on the world stage. Currently enjoying a substantial festival run, “Invisible Nation” has gained an extra note of urgency and its visibility should only increase in the wake of Taiwan’s elections on January 13, 2024.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief First-time mainland Chinese director Lin Jianjie (aka JJ Lin) makes a splash this weekend with the premiere of his “Brief History of a Family.” Asking questions about family in the era since the end of China’s ‘One Child Policy,’ while also borrowing genre tropes such as the idea of the intruder and blood, it is a polished and ultra-modern fable that sees a teenage schoolboy ingratiate himself into another boy’s family.Variety spoke to biologist-turned-filmmaker Lin on the eve of his Sundance debut.How did you get from zero to making your first feature?[After graduating in biology] I did two short films at film school. I went to Tisch Asia, which had a campus in Singapore. We also had an exchange program with Tisch in New York.

Royel Otis have covered Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ as part of triple j’s ‘Like A Version’ – watch the duo’s spirited take on the classic below.Today (January 19), triple j shared Royel Otis’ cover of the 2001 hit, which has enjoyed a resurgence following its recent inclusion in the Barry Keoghan- and Jacob Elordi-starring Saltburn late last year.For ‘Like A Version’, acts participating typically perform one original track and a cover of their choosing for Australian radio station triple j. Royel Otis’ cover of ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ sees them do away with Ellis-Bextor’s inclusion of strings, but double-down on guitar.Watch Royel Otis’ cover of ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ below.Royel Otis are set to release a new album, ‘PRATTS & PAIN’ on February 16 via Ourness – pre-order your copy here.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading Asian film directors including Josh Kim, Fukada Koji and Patiparn Boontarig line up to pitch their in-development projects at the March edition of the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF). Leading directors Wang Xiaoshuai and Zhang Lu will also be on the ground at HAF, operating as producers. So too will established producers Yamamoto Teruhisa (“Drive My Car”) and Michael J.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Netflix is kicking off its Milestone Movies: The Anniversary collection with films that are turning 50 in 1974 — a group that happens to include some of the medium’s all-time classics. The anniversary titles will stream on the platform in the U.S., along with in-person special screenings starting in March at New York’s Paris Theater and L.A.’s Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and Bay Theater in Pacific Palisades.

EXCLUSIVE: Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki has achieved his best global box office in a decade with Cannes Jury Prize winner Fallen Leaves which has racked up a total gross of $12.4M, according to figures released by its producers.

Refresh for latest…: Warner Bros/Village Roadshow/Heyday Films’ Wonka continues its sweet run, crossing the $500M mark globally this weekend. The worldwide cume through Sunday is $505.3M including $329.1M from the international box office and with Korea, which has a fondness for Hollywood musicals, still to release at the end of the month.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter There’s a new queen bee at the box office. Paramount’s “Mean Girls” musical ruled over the competition with $32 million during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

Gladiators was one of the biggest sports entertainment programmes of the 1990s, and this weekend it returns to screens in its brand-new home on the BBC. Hosted by father and son duo Bradley and Barney Walsh, the show will see a new generation of superhuman Gladiators competing against a brave set of contenders.

J. Kim Murphy Paramount’s “Mean Girls” musical is winning most popular at the domestic box office this weekend. The adaptation of the Broadway adaptation of the beloved 2004 comedy is off to a strong start, coming in ahead of the latest Jason Statham actioner “The Beekeeper“ “Mean Girls” earned $11.65 million from 3,791 theaters across Friday and preview screenings, tracking to a four-day opening of $31.5 million through the Martin Luther King Jr.

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