China Showbiz Latest News and Updates

The Serbian President has prompted concern after making a stark comment regarding the future of his country.

As its public dispute with TikTok continues, Universal Music Group has set an expanded strategic relationship with Spotify.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Universal Music Group and Spotify — the world’s largest music company and the world’s largest paid music-subscription service — have unveiled an expansion of their “strategic relationship” in an announcement that has very few details but is likely the opening of a new maneuver in UMG’s ongoing battle with TikTok. UMG and the China-based platform, which has been the leading source of music discovery for the past five years, have been in a standoff over multiple issues, primarily the platform’s low royalty payments and AI policies, since their licensing agreement expired earlier this year.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming edition of the Festival of Far East Film in Italy’s Udine (April 24 – May 2). The lineup will include three films by Zhang: his 2023 political thriller “Under the Light” in its competition section; as well as “To Live” and “Raise the Red Lantern” in its restored classics section. The festival’s total lineup includes 74 films in total – 47 in competition and 28 out of competition) from 11 countries.

Thousands of people using the internet have been bombarded with adverts that seem too good to be true, offering "free money" to people who sign up to a Chinese shopping website, Temu. This has prompted many to ask - is it real?

3 Body Problem might be the most ambitious Netflix show of the year.Based on the book of the same name by Liu Cixin, the sci-fi series follows Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao) in 1960s China whose actions have a profound impact on the lives of a group of scientists in the present day.A synopsis reads: “A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history.”The series also stars Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Liam Cunningham, Eiza Gonzalez, Jess Hong, Mario Kelly, Benedict Wong and Jonathan Pryce.

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem has been released – check it out below.Based on the book of the same name by Liu Cixin, the sci-fi series follows Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao) in 1960s China whose actions have a profound impact on the lives of a group of scientists in the present day.A synopsis reads: “A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history.”3 Body Problem also stars Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Liam Cunningham, Eiza Gonzalez, Jess Hong, Mario Kelly, Benedict Wong and Jonathan Pryce.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s running mate. Kennedy made the announcement at one of his rallies on Tuesday, hosted at Shanahan’s native Oakland, California.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Sweet Planet,” a one of the highest-profile China-Europe co-productions of recent years, will air on China Global Television Network from Friday. The six-part culinary documentary is a co-production between millennial-focused global channel operator Insight TV, Netherlands-based production company JOIIN, and CGTN. It explore the culinary and cultural impact of sugar in cooking and food rituals around the world.

Nothing says Easter tentpole quite like Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire which is set to conquer the world with a box office debut around $135M, bolstered by 63 foreign markets and 3,850 theaters stateside.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Dahomey,” the Berlinale Golden Bear-winning film helmed by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, has been sold to a raft of international territories by Les Films du Losange. Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (PT Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.

NME, actor Lucy Liu and director Eloise Singer have discussed bringing notorious Chinese pirate Chen Shih to life in VR game The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend.Set in 19th-century China, The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend follows Chen Shih – a real-world pirate who commanded hundreds of ships – on the night she rose to power.Chatting to NME from New York, Singer shared that she felt “compelled” to share Shih’s story upon realising that it wasn’t very well-known.“When I first discovered more about Chen Shih’s story, I was fascinated,” said Singer, pointing to Shih leading 70,000 men in the lead-up to the Opium Wars. “She [also] created a code of laws that meant men and women had to be treated equally on her ship, which was phenomenal.”Originally a courtesan, Chen Shih took control over a large confederation of pirates when her husband fell overboard.

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.

The world premiere of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is here!

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Universal’s “The Fall Guy” will open in mainland Chinese cinemas next month, ahead of its debut in the U.S. and star Ryan Gosling’s native Canada. The film is set to release officially in China on April 30.

Eiza González has premiered her awaited series on Netflix. “3 Body Problem” follows a group of scientists who are facing with an interplanetary threat. It debuted number 1 on Netflix, prompting some reactions from González, who thanked viewers from all over the world for tuning in.

An SNP MP who was targeted in a Chinese state-sponsored attack has said that Scottish universities are "overdependent" on funds from Beijing.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Following the buzzy Netflix debut of “3 Body Problem” this past weekend, the sci-fi series off of which the show is based, “Remembrance of Earth’s Past,” in addition to a title frequently mentioned throughout the first season, “Silent Spring,” are now bestsellers on Amazon.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Acclaimed Chinese film director Chen Daming is expected to direct “The Peking Express,” a book-to-film adaptation of the story of an infamous train robbery that took place 100 years ago. The non-fiction book was written Beijing-based writer and lawyer James Zimmerman and was an ‘Editor’s Choice’ selection by the New York Times. It describes the raid on a luxury express train by Chinese bandits in Shandong Province in 1923 and the ensuing six-week hostage standoff that captivated the world.

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). 

Here’s an interesting bit of box office news coming from the trade paper Variety in that horror movie Late Night With The Devil from IFC Films...The weekend box-office estimates are in and the new sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has taken the top spot at US cinemas...The new Mission: Impossible film ‘Dead Reckoning’ opened up all over the world this past weekend and the numbers for its...It’s official, if not unsurprising – John Wick: Chapter 4 opened at the top spot in the U.S. box-office top ten...I’m literally just back in the door from seeing this myself and confirm, and indeed concur with Kat’s review, that it...The coronavirus pandemic has caused chaos for businesses around the world and the Hollywood film industry is no exception.

Ashleigh Butler and her pooch Pudsey created television history by being the first-ever dog act to win Britain's Got Talent, making Simon Cowell's dream come true.The dynamic twosome won audiences over on the sixth season of the talent show back in 2012 when Pudsey, a fluffy crossbreed of Border Collie, Bichon Frise, and Chinese Crested dazzled the judges with his tricks. Alesha Dixon was overwhelmed at the time, stating: "I can't cope, this moment is too much. You're showing people what dogs can do when they have good homes and are loved.

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.

“British storytelling is at growing risk of being squeezed out in an extraordinarily competitive global media landscape,” the BBC Director General will warn in a landmark speech tomorrow that will set out how to “radically transform and renew” the 100-year-old corporation.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor “3 Body Problem” production designer Deborah Riley is no stranger to creating epic environments — she won four consecutive Emmys for her work on “Game of Thrones.” Netflix’s new series reunites Riley with creators David Benioff and D.B Weiss. “That show was vast insofar as cold and hot environments and in its scope and scale, but I had no idea what the term meant until ‘3 Body Problem,’” Riley says, comparing the two shows. Adapted from the Chinese science-fiction saga by Cixin Liu, the series opens with the Cultural Revolution.

Oof! Rose Hanbury is coming after Stephen Colbert!

Murtada Elfadl “Night of Nights” throws the audience immediately into the action. A sick man in a wheelchair and his companion are stopped outside a hospital by a security guard. All three men are masked and speaking Chinese.

(G)I-DLE vocalist Yuqi will make her official Korean solo debut in April, her agency CUBE Entertainment has announced.CUBE Entertainment announced Yuqi’s upcoming solo debut today (March 22) in a statement to South Korean news outlet XSports News. “Yuqi plans to release a solo single in April and promote it on music broadcasts,” the label shared, per Soompi.Information about the (G)I-DLE member’s upcoming solo debut, including the release’s format, tracklist and more, is expected in the coming weeks.

Naman Ramachandran Prime Video is bullish about the large, diverse and volatile Asian streaming market, driven by growth in India and Japan, the streamer’s top executives responsible for the region have said. The region’s online video component, excluding China, where international streamers cannot be present, is projected to grow at 9.2%, to reach $46 billion by 2028, according to a study from research and consultancy firm Media Partners Asia.

Christine Quinn is done with Christian Dumontet.

No wonder Rose Hanbury is upset those affair rumors resurfaced — because now HER dirty laundry is being aired!

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Miyazaki Hayao’s “The Boy and the Heron,” which recently won the Oscar for best animated feature film, will head to global streaming giant Netflix later this year, excluding the U.S. and Japan. The hand-drawn, critically acclaimed fantasy adventure film is part of a renewed worldwide catalog deal between Netflix and the Japanese producer Studio Ghibli, sales agent Goodfellas and independent distributor GKids.

There was drama on Celebrity Big Brother last night after a challenge took a wrong turn and resulted in medics being called.

Bargain Hunt viewers were gobsmacked to see a pair of contestants uncover a valuable hidden gem during an antiques hunt that doubled their money.The duo made a whopping profit on the item, leaving even antiques expert Raj Bisram in shock at their luck in picking up such a great deal during their challenge. Contestants Nathalie and Karl made up the episode's red team, where they went up against blue team duo Adam and Jemma.The show's antiques experts asked the red team to find a profitable fashion accessory and the blue team to search for a valuable item on a Chinese theme.

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.

UK director, writer and cinematographer Molly Manning Walker, who won the Cannes Un Certain Regard prize last year for How To Have Sex, has been selected for the festival’s four-and-a-half month La Résidence program in Paris.