‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Review: Jack Black Is Back As Lovable Dragon Warrior On A New Mission In This Winning DreamWorks Sequel

Manchester Airport has announced the launch of a direct route to Shanghai, the first service to operate to the Chinese city from the north. Juneyao Air has chosen Manchester as its first destination in the UK in a move that’s been hailed as “fantastic news” by regional leaders.

Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 had a rock ‘em sock ‘em weekend at the international box office, adding $55.3M from 69 markets for a $135M overseas running cume, and $268.2M global (there are several key markets still to release, including France, Australia, the UK and Korea). 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ opened on top of the mainland China box office in its first official week of release. But its debut was soft and led the market to one of its quietest weekends of the year. The Universal-DreamWorks Animation picture earned $14.7 million (RMB105 million) between Friday and Sunday, according to data provided by consultancy firm Artisan Gateway.

What is the recipe for dragon’s beard candy?To prepare her dragon’s beard candy, Dutta told Fox News Digital that she combined sugar, corn syrup, vinegar and water in a medium-sized pot.She recommended the following measurements:Dutta then whisked the ingredients together and heated the pot on the stove.She inserted a candy thermometer into the pot and waited for it to reach the hard-ball stage, which falls between 250 F and 265 F.Once the syrup reaches the right temperature, it’s poured onto a flat, cornstarch-covered surface and allowed to cool slightly.Once the mixture cools, the syrup must be pulled and stretched repeatedly to create fine strands.These strands are then twisted and folded to form multiple layers.After the syrup has been stretched into fine strands and twisted into multiple layers, it should be coated with a dusting cornstarch to prevent sticking.Once coated, the candy can be cut into bite-sized pieces and served immediately or stored in an airtight container for later enjoyment.With patience and practice, virtually anyone can master the art of creating this historic treat.

Coming out of the weekend, and with Sunday’s actuals and Monday’s numbers included, there are new global milestones to celebrate for the two major Hollywood titles currently in release.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “The Boy and the Heron,” the Oscar-winning animated feature film by iconic Japanese director Miyazaki Hayao, is finally to be given a release in cinemas in mainland China. The picture is scheduled to release in China on April 3, 2024, according to Alibaba Pictures. Tickets are already available on booking sites such as Maoyan and Alibaba’s Taopiaopiao.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Previews for Universal Pictures and Dreamworks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” put the Chinese-themed film in fourth place at the mainland China box office, a week ahead of its official theatrical debut. Over the March 15-17 weekend, however, first and second places remained with holdover titles “The Pig, The Snake and the Pigeon” and “Dune: Part Two.” Taiwanese crime film “The Pig, The Snake and the Pigeon,” already playing on Netflix in territories outside China, topped the mainland China chart for the third successive weekend. According to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway, it earned $11.1 million (RMB79.1 million), for a cumulative of $73.2 million (RMB520 million).

With a solid offshore hold, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two is closing in on $500M globally. The overseas weekend brought in $51.2M across 73 markets, a 40% drop versus last session (-37% excluding China). The international box office cume through Sunday is $289.4M, and worldwide the running total is $494.7M. The latter figure means the film has already surpassed Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune worldwide.

A new direct route between Manchester Airport and Shanghai is set to launch this summer. Chinese airline Juneyao Airlines will operate three weekly services between Manchester and the Chinese city.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Peter Chan Ho-sun has assembled a starry cast headed by Zhang Ziyi and box office sensation Lei Jiayin for his new feature film “She Has No Name.” The film, which recently completed principal photography, probes the progress of women’s rights in China. “One woman’s suffering gives rise to the revolution of women’s social rights in China,” reads a tagline.

Warner Bros/Legendary Entertainment’s Dune: Part Two held strongly in its sophomore session at the international box office, adding $81M to handily cross the $200M overseas milestone, and reaching $367.5M globally.

Akira Toriyama, the influential manga artist who created the Dragon Ball anime franchise, has died aged 68.

NCT member Lucas Wong will make his solo debut this year, his label SM Entertainment has confirmed.Earlier today (March 8), South Korean news outlet JTBC reported that ex-NCT singer Lucas Wong would be making his solo debut this April, with the publication citing several “music industry officials”.The news was later confirmed by SM Entertainment, which represents Lucas, in a statement to Dispatch. “Lucas is preparing for solo activities next month,” the K-pop agency said, adding that a “detailed schedules will be revealed at a later date”.The former NCT member went on hiatus in August 2021 after a South Korean netizen claiming to be his ex-girlfriend accused him of gaslighting her.

Carlos Aguilar Embraced by Q-Anon conspiracy theorists, last year’s “Sound of Freedom” racked up over $250 million worldwide and brought Mexican-born director Alejandro Monteverde back in the spotlight almost two decades after his awfully saccharine 2006 debut “Bella” won the People’s Choice Award at TIFF. A filmmaker with an unabashedly Christian conservative agenda, Monteverde’s latest is a frustratingly sluggish biopic of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini (Cristiana Dell’Anna), an Italian nun who defied the Catholic Church, as well as American institutions, to aide her countrymen in New York City during the late 1800s.

The Karate Kid cast is steadily growing.

Katcy Stephan Ming-Na Wen has joined the cast of Sony’s new “Karate Kid” film. Previously announced cast members include “American Born Chinese” star Ben Wang in the titular role, plus Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, who will reprise their characters from previous entries in the franchise. Joshua Jackson and Sadie Stanley will also star.

The Karate Kid cast is steadily growing.

A Chinese woman who tried British Chinese food for the first time has given her verdict - and it's very positive.

Lindsay Lohan has said the highly anticipated Freaky Friday sequel is "in the process". The 2003 film starred Lohan and Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis as the body-switching mother-daughter duo.

Rumors of a Freaky Friday sequel starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis have been circulating for years and it seems like a movie is finally happening.