‘Lord of the Rings’ Dominated by ‘Detective Conan’ in China Opening Weekend

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese state broadcaster CTGN may have declared the scuppered plans for a European Super League (ESL) as an “own goal for football,” but, in fact, many Chinese soccer fans and broadcasters would have loved the ESL.As the ESL proposal collapsed in less than three days, huge volumes of invective were addressed at the executives and club owners who had joined the plan. They were mercenaries, out of touch with fans.

mukbangers who gorge on camera to the enjoyment of millions of fans around the world. Legislators introduced the proposal late last year as part of President Xi Jinping’s campaign against food waste in China and around the world.Censors have already removed such content from Chinese social media sites, Vice News has reported, such as TikTok’s Douyin, a video-sharing platform exclusively for Chinese users.

Rebecca Davis editorHuayi Brothers, China’s longest-standing privately-owned production film studio, has notched its third consecutive year of losses despite producing the world’s highest grossing film in 2020, its annual report showed.The company’s revenues for 2020 fell by 33% year-on-year to $232 million (RMB1.5 billion) while net losses hit $162 million (RMB1.05 billion).

AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron was nearly giddy Thursday, quoting Winston Churchill, trying to top him, talking up a box office recovery, the chain’s expanded market share, cash position and hiring plans and millions of new retail investors who have replaced China’s Wanda Group as its core shareholder base.

Pop star Willie Tay or as his hundreds of thousands of fans around the world know him, Wils, has found a second chance at international stardom in Hollywood. Despite facing oppression in Asia, Wils has never stopped making music.

Chinese box office across the five-day May Day holiday which concluded Wednesday hit a record high of RMB 1.67B ($258M). This is up from the RMB 1.53B grossed during the similar 2019 frame which lasted four days.

Rebecca Davis editorChinese authorities have issued warnings of a new crackdown on entertainment industry financial practices and astronomical star salaries in wake of another high-profile celebrity tax scandal.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterAmid a spate of anti-Asian hate crimes this past year, the story of Vincent Chin — the 27-year-old Chinese American brutally beaten and killed in 1982 by two former autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, who blamed him for the economic downturn in Detroit — has become the focus of renewed interest for the entertainment industry.

Zhang Yimou's spy thriller Cliff Walkers was the best reviewed new release to open over China's lucrative May Day holiday weekend, but it was far from the biggest earner. Youth romance My Love, from Beijing Enlight Pictures, overcame withering reviews to dominate the start of the long holiday frame, earning $65.1 million from Friday to Sunday.

Wanda Film, part of the Dalian Wanda group, has appointed financial advisers in Australia and may be preparing to sell the Hoyts cinema chain, according to local reports.According to the Australian Financial Review newspaper, investment bank Credit Suisse has been appointed by Wanda to find bidders for Hoyts.

Rebecca Davis editorZhang Yimou’s snowy period spy thriller “Cliff Walkers” debuted in China this Labor Day holiday weekend with $37.7 million. But it was outrun by local rom-com “My Love,” which took a comfortable box office victory.That tale of young love starring Taiwan’s Greg Hsu and Zhang Ruonan of the popular TV show “Cry Me A Sad River” opened Friday to earn $65.1 million over three days, according to data from Artisan Gateway.

Rebecca Davis editorPeter Jackson’s “The Return of the King,” the third film in his classic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy,” will hit China on May 14 in remastered 4K.The first two films of the trilogy are already in theaters, having debuted April 16 and April 23, respectively.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterGreg Kinnear has joined the cast of “Sight,” a biopic about pioneering medical entrepreneur Dr. Ming Wang, led by actor Terry Chen.The Open River Entertainment project has commenced a six-week shoot in Vancouver.