‘Luca’ Gets China Release Date In August; Disney/Pixar Movie Is Market’s First Hollywood Title Slated Since June

Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and Kung Fu Panda film franchises feature heavily, along with the Minions from the “Despicable Me” movies.Beijing's historic sites have long drawn tourists.

coronavirus pandemic,” she said.Hungary has enjoyed a comparative summer reprieve from the COVID-19 pandemic after a devastating spring, when the country for a time had the world's highest number of virus deaths per capita.While confirmed cases and deaths are down, the vaccination rate also has slowed dramatically.

After a two-month blackout period in China for Hollywood movies, Disney/20th Century Studios’ Free Guy is looking to lead all pics in the country at the weekend B.O. with a $18M+, possibly $20M take. That’s a promising start for one of the first big movies from Hollywood after a long-hiatus, besting the $15M opening weekend of A Quiet Place Part II, and the $7.8M first weekend of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. 

coronavirus pandemic,” she said.Hungary has enjoyed a comparative summer reprieve from the COVID-19 pandemic after a devastating spring, when the country for a time had the world's highest number of virus deaths per capita.While confirmed cases and deaths are down, the vaccination rate also has slowed dramatically.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHollywood film franchises such as “xXx,” “Warcraft” and “Resident Evil” used to be largely sustained by their box office performance in China, which significantly exceeded their North American hauls and drove global grosses. Frequently, Hollywood titles would dominate the Chinese box office charts during most weeks.But in recent years, that tide has been turning.

READ MORE: James Bond: No Time To Die release date delay 'may not be possible'The last Hollywood blockbuster to release in China was Fast and Furious 9, while dates for Black Widow and The Suicide Squad had been yet to land. With such restrictions reportedly lifting yesterday, Universal could well be unveiling its release date for the large box office market very soon.

Disney’s 20th Century Studios’ Ryan Reynolds movie Free Guy is getting a China release date of Aug. 27.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefDisney’s Asia-Pacific president Luke Kang and Greg Silverman, CEO & founder of Stampede Ventures are among the top executives who are confirmed as speakers at the September edition of APOS.

Nicole Kidman has become the center of a social media debate after arriving in Hong Kong to film her latest TV series, The Expats.The Nine Perfect Strangers actress reportedly touched down in the Chinese city last week after flying in from Australia, but her apparent lack of isolation has caused uproar with many.MORE: Nicole Kidman's son Connor Cruise reveals bold new look with rare photo of himselfNicole was granted a quarantine waiver and according to local media, she has been spotted out

Hong Kong government has confirmed it has given Nicole Kidman an exemption from the city’s strict quarantine procedures, while currently tightening inbound travel restrictions for ordinary residents.Through her Blossom Films production company, Kidman is attached as an executive producer on “The Expats,” an Amazon Studios series directed by U.S.-based Chinese helmer Lulu Wang (“The Farewell”) that is currently shooting in the city.

Rebecca Davis editorThe toppling of powerful men by #MeToo accusations in Hollywood and beyond has be­­come a familiar phenomenon to Americans in the post-Harvey Weinstein era, but in China, such reckonings remain rare.

TEN and YANGYANG are busting out with a hot new track!

Last week, it was revealed that The Criterion Collection would add a new disc format to its release schedule, announcing its first batch of 4K UHD titles. And in November, the first wave of those titles, as well as a highly-anticipated box set, aim to lighten your wallets.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said on Monday that it had fired an employee who has been accused of sexually assaulting another staff member.

Rebecca Davis editorThe list of major Hollywood tentpoles that have released in the U.S. in the past month but not yet fixed a China release date is growing ever longer — an issue of significant concern to industry players on both sides of the Pacific.“Black Widow,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” “Jungle Cruise” and now “The Suicide Squad” have all rolled out Stateside but given no formal indication of when and whether they will debut in the world’s largest film market.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAfter unveiling it during a performance at Boston’s Fenway Park on Tuesday, Guns N’ Roses have released “Absurd,” their first official new song since their 2008 album “Chinese Democracy.”However, to call the song “new” is a relative term: The song, formerly called “Silkworms,” has been knocking around for two decades and was reportedly written during the years of sessions for “Chinese Democracy.”The fast-paced track features Axl Rose singing with an almost comical

Rebecca Davis editorChinese director Lu Chuan will be the lead director of the opening ceremony for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou city, an international sports spectacle taking place months after the Beijing Winter Olympics.Held every four years, the games will occur from Sept. 10 to 25 in the verdant capital of Zhejiang province, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHighly-anticipated mainland Chinese film “The Battle at Lake Changjin,” which was due to have been released later this month has been postponed to an unspecified date. The move, announced late on Thursday, was caused by a recent resurgence in COVID-19 cases in China.The film is a Korean War epic that is co-directed by Chen Kaige, Hark Tsui and Dante Lam and should have released on Aug.