Jia Zhang-ke Sets ‘We Shall Be All’ as First Feature Project in Five Years (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Shanghai was the venue for the launch of Chinese streaming firm iQiyi’s latest venture into Virtual Reality. Its ‘Luoyang VR Project’ is a studio-based experience in which users are invited to experience up to 12 different entertainment zones in the ancient city of Luoyang in Henan province. Requiring headsets and using a physical space of some 300 square metres, the set-up stimulates the physical experience of high winds, waterfalls and explosions. IQiyi described the project as “the first attempt in the VR industry to integrate different elements from immersive theatre, VR, and original IP,” and said that it leverages “inside-out tracking” technology and other industry-leading, sensory-simulation techniques to build in cars, boats, carriages, and other props. “The upshot is a highly realistic environment that fully immerses the audience in the story,” the company said.

Over 14,500 deaths were associated with influenza in England throughout the 2022/23 season, representing the highest death toll since 2017/18, according to recent figures. In addition, extreme cold weather is likely linked to a further 5,500 deaths, the greatest number in the past ten years.

Love Island USA” is set to premiere on July 18 exclusively on Peacock, the streamer announced Wednesday.  The fifth season of “Love Island USA” will take place in Fiji with an all-new group of singles. Throughout the season, islanders will compete in challenges, face temptations and forge new relationships. Each week, new episodes will be available for streaming six days a week.  “Love Island USA” stands as Peacock’s most-streamed original reality competition series, heightening the anticipation for the show’s fifth season. David George, Adam Sher, Simon Thomas, Ben Thursby-Palmer, Andy Cadman, Iona Mackenzie and Claudine Parrish serve as executive producers, alongside Tom Gould, Richard Cowles, Mike Spencer, Richard Foster and Chet Fenster. The series is produced by ITV Entertainment. 

Richard D. James is back.

An ex-Celtic scout has been jailed for today for the sexual abuse of boys. Disgraced former teacher Kenneth Divers was caged for five years and placed on the sex offenders' register for life for preying on boys as young as 11 between 1968 and 1992.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hong Kong action film “The White Storm: Heaven or Hell” will have its North American premiere at the New York Asian Film Festival, where it is a late addition to the line-up. The festival runs July 14–30, 2023 at Film at Lincoln Center (FLC). Directed by Herman Yau, the film sees Louis Koo, Aaron Kwok and Sean Lau (aka Lau Ching-wan) appear together for the first time. It is set in the ‘Golden Triangle’ region famous for drugs production and trafficking. Kwok plays an undercover cop who infiltrates a drug cartel led by a notorious Thai drug lord (Lau). In classic heroic bloodshed fashion, the two develop a bond of brotherhood. The cop’s only hope of escaping the treacherous jungle region and his ambiguous morality is to somehow contact the superintendent of the Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau, who has solemnly sworn to demolish the cartel once and for all.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Dave” and Lil Dicky fans, the artist’s first new music in eight years is finally coming to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music later this year. Dave Burd, the “Dave” star/exec producer and rapper also known as Lil Dicky, is compiling tracks, and expanding other music cues, from the first three seasons of “Dave” that he plans to release shortly. The album would serve somewhat as a “Dave” soundtrack but also as Lil Dicky’s first official release since 2015’s “Professional Rapper,” which was certified Gold and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart. “I’ve been making music ever since then,” Burd said. “I realized this year, as I took a step back and looked at all the different music that’s made it into the first three seasons of the show, there’s enough here, a great body of work and a project that I can put out as a soundtrack. I think this is such a better representation of Lil Dicky the musical artist than, honestly, my first album even was. People are always like, ‘when can I get that song?’ I think this will be a cool thing for fans who have watched the show. And for people who have never even seen the show, I think they’ll enjoy listening to this as like a body of music.”

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief NBCUniversal is to expand its One Platform advertising, technology, data and measurement system further into global markets through an alliance with international broadcast and tech partners. The move was announced on Tuesday at the Cannes Lions advertising convention in Cannes, France.International partners include Atresmedia from Spain, Bell Media from Canada, Channel 4 from the U.K., Mediaset from Italy, Seven West Media from Australia, Sky Media from the U.K., Italy and Germany, and Talpa from the Netherlands, TF1 Pub of France, Japan’s Tokyo Broadcasting Systems and Omnicom Media Group. “By bringing together leading local broadcasters and publishers across the world, NBCUniversal seeks to enhance the premium video ecosystem and build the foundation for greater industry advancement and collaboration at an international level, across data and identity, activation and automation, ad innovation, and measurement,” NBCUniversal explained in a statement.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce, technology and entertainment giant, said Tuesday that Joseph C. Tsai will succeed Daniel Zhang as chairman of the group. Eddie Wu (aka Wu Yongming) will take over Zhang’s role as group CEO. Both men are veterans of the group. Tsai, owner of the Brooklyn Nets basketball franchise, is currently Alibaba’s executive vice chairman. Wu is one of Alibaba’s founders and was its original chief technology officer in 1999. He has since held the CTO role at key businesses units including Taobao and Alipay and is currently chairman of Taobao and Tmall Group. Zhang, who took over as group chairman from the iconic Jack Ma, is in the process of orchestrating the biggest restructuring in Alibaba’s 24-year history. Alibaba, which has share listings in New York and Hong Kong, is to transform itself into a holding company with stakes in six separate business units that are free to raise their own capital or even go down the IPO route.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat), a leading operator of satellites, has moved into content distribution with the acquisition of Hong Kong- and U.K.-based TV distributor Lightning International. The diversification was described by AsiaSat as “a strategic move to expand the company’s services and extend its clients’ reach to global audiences through traditional and new distribution platforms including OTT and FAST.” AsiaSat is known to be acquiring 100% of Lightning International, but other deal terms were not disclosed.

Red Dwarf is returning to the BBC for the first time in 15 years.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Barbarian Invasion” director Tan Chi Mui from Malaysia scored a top result from the SIFF Project Market. The market is a component event of the Shanghai International Film Festival, which wrapped up over the weekend. Tan’s “All About Yuyu” was named as the “recommended project for creativity” at the project market’s closing event. The project, which is already being structured as a Malaysia-China coproduction, is a story that combines contemporary wuxia (heroic martial arts) with youth elements. “I want to make a modern wuxia film to recapture the magical feeling I had when watching films during my childhood,” she told local media.

Britain's Got Talent winner Viggo Venn has bagged his first proper job since winning the ITV show this year, and it's a big one, despite the fact he was met with boos when the result was announced. The Norwegian comedy star created a lot of controversy with his unusual style and bold performances during the series this year, but all the judges loved him.

Leigh-Anne Pinnock celebrated the release of her debut solo single with a night out alongside new husband Andre Grey and Little Mix bandmate Jade Thirlwall. Newly-wed Leigh-Anne, who showed off her huge wedding ring as she arrived at a radio station to promote new song Don't Say Love on Thursday, was spotted later in the day heading to Ours restaurant in London.The 31 year old turned heads in a strapless denim dress and cut out thigh high boots as she later left the venue hand-in-hand with professional footballer Andre. It was the first time they have been pictured together since they tied the knot in a dreamy beachfront ceremony in Jamaica earlier this month Jade, 30, meanwhile showed off her abs in a studded black outfit during Thursday's night out.

Joni Mitchell had a big moment back on stage.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief German filmmaker Wim Wenders is to be the president of the jury that decides the main competition prizes later this year at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Wenders has frequent connections with the Japanese capital and last year shot his “Perfect Days” film in the city. The film recently appeared in competition in Cannes and earned Yakusho Koji the best actor prize. The Tokyo festival confirmed plans to host a celebration of Japanese director Ozu Yasujiro, who was born 120 years ago and died exactly 60 years later. Wenders previously shot 1985 documentary “Tokyo-ga” as a tribute to Ozu.

Amy Schumer wasn’t feeling right about living in Barbie’s dreamhouse. So she chose another career path.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Big-budget period action film “The Sand Murmurs” is set to start production in China’s remote region of Xinjiang later this month. The film is the tale of a soldier and an enemy nobleman brought together after a once-in-a-century sandstorm. After braving a near-death experience together, the pair find common purpose despite their differences. They also need to work together to find their way out across 800km of desert. The picture is directed by Wu Youyin as an adaptation of his novel of the same title. Wu previously wrote and directed “Till The End of the World,” which released in 2018.

Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin were going strong in their marriage before their brief separation last year. The Hollywood star detailed the romantic moment when they first met in 1988 during the latest episode of ‘The Family Stallone,’ which was filmed around the same time the couple started having troubles. “I remember vividly the first time I met Jennifer,” he said.

Al Pacino is going to be a new father once again. The 83-year-old actor is expecting his first child with his girlfriend, Noor Alfallah.Alfallah, 29, is eight months pregnant with what will be the Oscar-winning actor's fourth child, Pacino's rep confirmed to ET, after initially reported the news. Pacino has been romantically linked to Alfallah since April 2022.