John Woo Returns To Direct Joel Kinnaman In No-Dialogue Action Film ‘Silent Night;’ AFM

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

Angelique Jackson Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali celebrated a major milestone on Friday night with the AFI Fest debut of “Swan Song,” which marks his first film project in a leading role and first narrative feature as a producer.“It was an emotional day, for me, I gotta say,” Ali told Variety on the red carpet outside the TCL Chinese Theatre.

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.

The stars of The Power of the Dog are stepping out for the movie’s latest screening!

Andrew Barker Senior Features WriterResuming its traditional post as the last stand of the fall festival season, the American Film Institute’s AFI Fest will return to its traditional home at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood, its first in-person fest since 2019.

WME Independent has launched sales on FunAge Pictures’ Wonder Family, a Chinese action comedy currently in post-production, which is looking for international distribution.

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.

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.

Chloé Zhao for being the first woman of color to win Best Director at the Oscars for her film Nomadland.

Chris Pratt has signed on to voice the title character in a new animated Garfield film from Alcon Entertainment, Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson announced today.

John Woo is set to helm his first US action film in nearly two decades with the upcoming Silent Night.The Chinese filmmaker, whose last US film was 2003’s Paycheck starring Ben Affleck, will return to Hollywood for a project led by The Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman.According to Deadline, the project is an action film which features no dialogue whatsoever, and follows a father as he heads into the underworld to avenge his young son’s death.John Wick producers Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christian

Rebecca Davis editorOn Friday, China’s Korean War epic “The Battle at Lake Changjin” became the highest-grossing film in the world for 2021, surpassing the Chinese New Year breakout comedy hit “Hi, Mom.”The gritty war film co-directed by Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam has grossed $845 million (RMB5.41 billion) in 29 days, marching past “Hi, Mom,” which earned $821 million at the beginning of the year over a 90-day period.

It’s been eleven years since her feature “Bright Star” (2009) and four years since her last series, the second season of ‘Top Of The Lake,‘ titled “Top of the Lake: China Girl,” but legendary auteur Jane Campion (“The Piano“). is finally back.

Two years after Hong Kong cracked down on pro-Democracy demonstrators, the local legislature passed a new film censorship law, according to multiple reports. As part of the measure, Hong Kong’s powerful Chief Secretary can now revoke a film’s license if it conflicts with China’s national security interests.

EXCLUSIVE: A24 is launching international sales ahead of the virtual AFM on sci-fi adventure-comedy Everything Everywhere All At Once, starring Michelle Yeoh (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings).

the Daily Mail via a 30-second clip announcing his new role.For the uninitiated, the controversial biopic is based on allegations by The Post and other outlets made against the Biden clan ahead of the 2020 election. The Post ran a story about emails allegedly retrieved from a laptop belonging to the younger Biden, which reportedly disclosed the family’s business dealings with both China and Ukraine.

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.