Imax, Wanda Expand China Partnership In 20-Theater Deal As The Nation’s Cinemas Prepare To Reopen

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChina’s Huanxi Media has struck a deal with All3media International to license 110 hours of factual content, that will play on its Huanxi.com SVoD platform.

What are Americans going to do without viral TikTok dance challenges? We may soon find out as President Donald Trump, 74, said he’s going to make good on his threat to ban the Chinese owned video app service TikTok from operating in the U.S. He told reporters aboard Air Force One on July 31 that, “As far as TikTok is concerned, we’re banning them from the United States.” Trump then added that he could make it happen with just the stroke of a pen as soon as Aug.

Rebecca Davis editorA portion of Chinese cinemas have been ordered to program an intermission for films that exceed two hours as a coronavirus prevention measure, Chinese reports said Friday. The requirement will affect a number of upcoming Hollywood films that run over 120 minutes, including a re-run of Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” set to hit screens on Sunday, as well as “Ford V Ferrari,” which will Aug.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorChina’s second Friday with cinemas back to business in low-risk areas rang up another $4M at local turnstiles, a 39% increase versus the same day last week. About 60% of movie theaters are now operating, with capacity limits and social distancing still in place, so all numbers are to be taken with a grain of salt, though they are encouraging.

Dino-Ray Ramos Associate Editor/ReporterThe good news for Kerry Washington keeps on coming! After receiving multiple Emmy nominations Tuesday morning, including one for her role in Little Fires Everywhere, Washington and her Simpson Street Productions has extended and expanded her overall deal with ABC Studios.

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 expected, Chinese authorities have given the go-ahead for cinemas in Beijing to reopen this coming Friday. That’s also when the first new Hollywood titles will hit the market, including Dolittle and Bloodshot.

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorEXCLUSIVE: Lots of movement on the international box office front this past weekend, and into the beginning of the week. Korean zombie sequel Peninsula, as we reported Sunday, made a meal of five overseas markets with a $21M Wednesday-Sunday frame.

Vivienne Chow Chinese streaming giant iQIYI is to boost its Southeast Asia operation with the appointment of three new country managers. Two hail from Iflix, the regional streamer now being acquired by Tencent Video.IQIYI said that former Iflix executive Sherwin Dela Cruz had been hired as its country manager for the Philippines.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChina reopened the doors of its cinemas on Monday, after nearly five months of closure. But audiences only trickled in.The re-opening was restricted to theaters in cities and regions where the coronavirus is deemed to have been vanquished.

Action pic Bloodshot and adventure epic Dolittle will open in China on July 24, becoming the first Hollywood movies to play there since theaters closed in late January amid the coronavirus pandemic. Oscar winner 1917 will open in the world's second-largest moviegoing market a week later.

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

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorEXCLUSIVE: Wasting no time as cinemas prepare to reopen beginning next week in most of China, a first batch of titles due for release has been identified. Universal’s Dolittle has been granted a July 24 date while we understand that Sony’s Bloodshot, handled locally by Bona Film, will also go out that same day.

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.

Cinemas in China, the world's second-biggest theatrical film market, were given the official greenlight Thursday to resume business beginning July 20. The China Film Administration put out the notice around midday in Beijing, sparking instant celebration throughout the country's filmmaking community.

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).

Rebecca Davis editorChina will begin reopening cinemas in “low-risk regions” from July 20, the China Film Administration announced Thursday, ending nearly six months of closures that left thousands of theaters bankrupt. “Cinemas in low-risk regions can resume business in an orderly manner on July 20, with the effective implementation of prevention and control measures.

Rebecca Davis editorChinese movie “Double World” will forgo a theatrical premiere in favor of a simultaneous online debut on Netflix and China’s streaming service iQiyi, the film’s producers announced.The news comes as China’s cinemas have yet to offer a timeline for reopening despite nearly six months of closures. The film will stream via iQiyi in China on July 24 and via Netflix elsewhere in the world, as the Western platform is blocked in the mainland.

China's largest cinema chain operator Wanda Film said it expects to lose $214 to $228 million (RMB 1.5 to 1.6 billion) in the first half of 2020 thanks to over five months on continual cinema shutdowns in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The decline represents a stark reversal of fortunes from the $75 million profit the Chinese exhibition giant reported during the same period in 2019.

President Donald Trump, 74, debuted a more natural hair makeover on July 14 when his locks appeared to have more gray tones to them during a press conference about China in the White House Rose Garden. The look was definitely different from his usual blondish color that we’re used to seeing and many viewers took to Twitter to tweet about the change.