‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Set for China Debut, Following ‘Zootopia,’ ‘Big Hero 6’ Re-Releases

Tom Grater International Film ReporterSony has secured a China release for Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-winning Little Women, with the film set to bow in the Middle Kingdom on August 25.The movie, a re-telling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel starring Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson and Eliza Scanlen as the March sisters, alongside Timothée Chalamet, has been a hit in international markets, grossing north of $100M since it rolled out in January.

Rebecca Rubin News Editor, OnlineChristopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic “Tenet” will launch in Chinese theaters on Sept. 4.The movie, starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, is expected to be the first major Hollywood release since the pandemic forced cinemas to close in the country starting in January.The studio got approval last week to debut “Tenet” in China, signaling a reversal in reopening guideline from the National Film Bureau.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorChristopher Nolan’s highly anticipated Tenet has been set for a September 4 release date in China. This will come on the heels of Warner Bros launching the event picture’s rollout in a host of offshore markets beginning on August 26 and in the U.S.

It has been a long wait for Christoper Nolan but it seems like TENET is finally going to debut on the big screen. The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has delayed the release of TENET across the world but the film is going ahead with international releases in countries that are safe for theatres to reopen.

Rebecca Davis editorLocal content is proving more of a draw than Hollywood films as China’s cinemas get back on their feet.

Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai (“In The Mood For Love”) moves secretly and at his own pace, often taking several years between projects. And per usual, the road to his latest film has been circuitous and perhaps filled with twists and turns and misinformation—perhaps some of it lost in translation or some of it warped from the notoriously controlling Chinese government, who knows.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefIconic auteur director, Wong Kar-wai has finally confirmed “Blossoms Shanghai” will be his first dive into dramatic TV series production.An adaptation of Jin Yucheng’s multi-award-winning Shanghai-set novel, “Blossoms,” the series also marks a return for Wong to his birthplace.

Wiz Khalifa has shared a new song called ‘Top Down’ – listen to it below.Taken from his upcoming mixtape ‘Big Pimpin’, Wiz teams up with New York producer Harry Fraud – known for his work with French Montana and Curren$y – for the roll-your-windows-down, laid back track.It follows a string of records the Taylor Gang rapper has put out as of late, including ‘Flight to China’, taken from the recently released ‘Road To Fast 9’ mixtape; ’90 IROC-Z’, where he teamed up with Curren$y; and ‘Gah Damn

Rebecca Davis editorRobert Downey Jr.’s family film “Dolittle” and Sony’s thriller “Bloodshot” led China’s first opening weekend at the box office since the coronavirus outbreak, a sign that new titles sell better than re-runs of beloved classics. Five out of the top 10 films this weekend were Hollywood titles.China began reopening theaters in regions deemed at low risk for COVID-19 on Monday.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorWith some of China’s cinemas reopened this week in low-risk areas, and as tomorrow sees Beijing get partially back to business as well, box office has continued to rise. As of 11:30PM tonight local time, Thursday’s takings hit $940K, according to ticketing service Maoyan.

Rebecca Davis editorA trio of Hollywood titles previously approved for China announced Thursday that they are set to hit the big screen now that cinemas are kicking back into gear.“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” in 3D and 4K restorations, will screen in China starting Aug. 14 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorAs Chinese cinemas began the reopening process today, box office crossed $472K by 8PM local. Maoyan’s real-time ticketing platform reports that play is led by new entry A First Farewell at around $184K.

Rebecca Davis editor“The Pursuit of Happyness,” “Dolittle” and “Bloodshot” are the first confirmed foreign films to hit Chinese cinemas next week as a portion of venues in low-risk regions reopen starting Monday.China’s cinemas have been closed for longer than any other country’s, having stayed dark — despite a brief attempt to reopen in March — since the lunar new year holiday in late January.“Happyness” will be the first of the Hollywood titles to screen, starting from day one of reopenings

As cinemas in China look to reopen on Monday amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, Imax Corp. has signed a 20-theater deal with Chinese industry giant Wanda Film Co.

The Shanghai International Film Festival, China's longest-running major cinema event, will take place in-person beginning July 25. The 2020 edition of the festival, now scheduled to kick off in just over one week, will take a condensed form and be mostly a Chinese affair, staffers for the event told The Hollywood Reporter Thursday.

Jill Goldsmith Co-Business EditorImax China has expanded its decade long partership with Wanda Film Co.

Rebecca Davis editorThe Shanghai International Film Festival will take place July 25 to Aug. 2, after Chinese authorities announced Thursday that cinemas will reopen at long last, beginning next Monday in low-risk regions.The Shanghai International TV Festival has also set its dates.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorBREAKING: Those theaters in low risk areas in China “can resume business in an orderly manner” as early as Monday, July 20, the China Film Administration announced in a recent notice.There were rumblings in foreign distribution that China would start reopening on this date, however, sources weren’t so sure whether that meant simply that the Shanghai Film Festival would take place at this time (and thus, movie theaters would reopen).

Cinemas in China's commercial capital of Shanghai are set to receive $2.5 million (18 million yuan) in government stimulus funds. The modest lifeline comes amid persistent reports that thousands of movie theaters in China are in danger of permanent closure.