Taiwan's Top Cinema Chains Unite to Launch Production Company

EXCLUSIVE: The Flash and It filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti are opening the doors to their production company Double Dream.

Rebecca Davis editorUniversal Pictures officially announced Friday that “F9,” the latest entry in the “Fast & Furious” saga, will hit China on May 21, more than a month ahead of its June 25 debut in North America.It had passed Chinese censorship approvals and given permission for theatrical release last week.Along with China, “F9” will also debut in several foreign territories, including Russia, Korea, the Middle East, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam, throughout the month of May.

Refresh for latest…: Fuel-injecting some mega muscle into the international box office landscape, Universal’s F9 is revving up for a May 21 release date in China, a full five weeks before domestic. But China won’t be the only overseas market to release early, as I hear several other key hubs are also going throughout the month of May including Korea (which is expected to kick things off on May 19), Russia, the Middle East, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam.

Robin Thede is staffing up her Warner Bros. TV-based production company.

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran Hollywood publicist Michael Donkis, most recently Co-President of Entertainment Strategies at Rogers & Cowan PMK, has launched Aloft Strategic Communications, a boutique entertainment publicity firm headquartered in Los Angeles. Joining Donkis at Aloft are publicists Amy Zack and Stephanie Baum, both directors at Rogers & Cowan PMK.

Will Smith's production company, Westbrook, is moving their upcoming film, , out of Georgia due to the state's new voting laws.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterMindshow, a CG animation production company, has raised an additional $10 million in funding to expand its content pipeline.With the new funding, led by SWaN & Legend Venture Partners, MindShow has raised more than $25 million in total.

Netflix has picked up international streaming rights to Chinese filmSuper Me, a high-concept fantasy feature combining elements of comedy, romance and thriller. Super Me is set for a wide theatrical release in China on Friday.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefGlobal streaming service Netflix has acquired multi-territory streaming rights to upcoming Chinese fantasy film “Super Me.” The story is an aspirational tale, combining lucid dreaming and a rags to riches plot about a struggling screenwriter.It was directed by Chong Zhang (“Fourth Wall”) and has a cast that is headed by Taiwan’s Darren Wang, along with Cao Bingkun, Song Jia and Wu Gang.The film had its world premiere in the panorama section of the 2019 edition of

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-nominated director-producer Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland) has teamed with executive/Emmy-winning producer Cheryl Bloch (Northern Exposure) to launch Backyard Pictures. The new company will be based at Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, with a first-look deal. Under the pact, Backyard Pictures will develop new television series spanning broadcast, cable and streaming. They already have multiple projects in the works.

Doug Schwalbe has launched The Co-Production Company, a boutique production firm specializing in finance and distribution arrangements for international productions.

After exclusively announcing her third pregnancy with OK! three months ago, Kimberley Walsh has now excitingly revealed the gender. Talking exclusively with OK! Kimberley and husband Justin Scott shared that they were expecting another baby boy.

BBC China correspondent John Sudworth has relocated to Taiwan amid fears for his safety as tensions grow between Beijing and Britain’s public broadcaster.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefJohn Sudworth, China correspondent for the BBC has left the Chinese mainland and relocated to Taiwan. His move follows mounting East-West tension over Xinjiang and Hong Kong and accusations that the BBC in particular has defamed China.Sudworth’s move was announced Wednesday by the BBC in a Twitter message.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefTaiwan’s four top cinema exhibition chains have joined forces to launch new feature movie production company Bole Film. The company aims to bring between three and five new films per year to market.Bole is backed by VieShow Cinemas, Showtime Cinemas, Ambassador Theatres, and Shin Kong Cinemas, with the support of Taiwanese Creative Content Agency (TAICCA)’s National Development Fund.

EXCLUSIVE: MGM is in advanced negotiations for a multi-territory pre-buy of writer-director Zach Braff’s feature A Good Person, we can reveal.

Sarah Monteith has been named CEO of Baby Cow, the TV and film production company founded by Steve Coogan. Monteith, a veteran Brit TV exec who joins from BBC Studios, replaces Christine Langan, who stepped down last year after four years to set up her own venture.

Warner Bros/Legendary’s Godzilla Vs Kong will slug it out in 38 offshore markets this weekend beginning Wednesday in such hubs as Mexico, Taiwan, Indonesdia and India; followed by Russia, Korea and Australia among others on Thursday and China notably on Friday. The Adam Wingard-directed pic is releasing abroad ahead of domestic which falls on March 31 day-and-date in theaters and on HBO Max.