Frater Asia Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Japanese Theater Firm to Pay Compensation After Harassed Actress’ Death - variety.com - Japan
variety.com
28.03.2024

Japanese Theater Firm to Pay Compensation After Harassed Actress’ Death

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hankyu Hanshin, parent company of all-female musical theater company Takarazuka Revue, has apologized to the family of an actor who died in September last year. The 25-year-old woman died after being harassed by theatre officials and older members of the company, it was alleged. She was found at or near her condominium in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, a case which the local police are treating as probable death by suicide. “The two sides have reached a broad agreement on various issues, including compensation,” the Kyodo news agency reported from a press conference held in Osaka on Thursday.

Zhang Yimou to Receive Lifetime Award at Udine Festival – Global Bulletin - variety.com - New Zealand - China - USA - Italy - South Korea - Japan - North Korea - Indonesia - Hong Kong - county Hamilton - county Lawrence
variety.com
28.03.2024

Zhang Yimou to Receive Lifetime Award at Udine Festival – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming edition of the Festival of Far East Film in Italy’s Udine (April 24 – May 2). The lineup will include three films by Zhang: his 2023 political thriller “Under the Light” in its competition section; as well as “To Live” and “Raise the Red Lantern” in its restored classics section. The festival’s total lineup includes 74 films in total – 47 in competition and 28 out of competition) from 11 countries.

Busan Postpones Appointment of Festival Director, Sets Pak Dosin in Deputy Role - variety.com - city Busan
variety.com
28.03.2024

Busan Postpones Appointment of Festival Director, Sets Pak Dosin in Deputy Role

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Busan International Film Festival has postponed the appointment of a permanent festival director. A new leader may be appointed after this year’s edition in October.Pak Dosin, a former senior programmer, has been appointed as co-deputy director in a dual-leadership structure, alongside co-deputy director Kang Seung-ah. That means that this year’s festival will be held under the leadership of chairperson Park Kwang-su, the recently appointed ACFM director Ellen Y.

Dave Boyle on How Netflix Hit ‘House of Ninjas’ Ducked Genre Stereotypes and Deflected Cultural Appropriation - variety.com - Britain - USA - Japan - Tokyo
variety.com
27.03.2024

Dave Boyle on How Netflix Hit ‘House of Ninjas’ Ducked Genre Stereotypes and Deflected Cultural Appropriation

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief In these culturally sensitive times, having an American director and showrunner on a quintessentially Japanese series is sure to raise the issue of cultural appropriation. But the Dave Boyle-directed “House of Ninjas,” which Netflix launched in February, stands out not only as a hit, but as a seemingly happy blend of East and West. An original story about the last living ninja family in modern times, the show ranked as the streamer’s top non-English show in 16 countries and regions, as well as reached the top ten list in 92 countries.In an interview with Variety, Boyle (“The Man From Reno,” “Big Dreams, Little Tokyo”) said that surprising career left-turns brought him to the series and helped him keep the show authentically Japanese.

Cannes-Bound ‘Directors Factory Philippines’ Wraps Filming - variety.com - India - Cambodia - Malaysia - Taiwan - Philippines
variety.com
27.03.2024

Cannes-Bound ‘Directors Factory Philippines’ Wraps Filming

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Directors Factory Philippines,” an omnibus film project initiated by the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, has completed production in the historic city of Dapitan. Operating since 2013, when it kicked off in Taiwan, the Directors’ Factory works with a new partner country each year to mentor eight budding filmmakers who are preparing ambitious first or second feature projects that they will make in pairs. The Philippines was selected in November. The four resulting co-written and co-directed short films will be screened as part of the Directors’ Fortnight (aka Quinzaine des Cineastes) in May. Dapitan, a city in The Philippines’ Zamboanga Peninsula, known for its many shrines and as the place of exile of Philippines’ national hero, Jose Rizal.

‘Sweet Planet’ Chinese-Dutch Documentary Culinary Series to Air on CGTN (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - China - Iceland - Canada - Netherlands - Argentina - city Copenhagen
variety.com
27.03.2024

‘Sweet Planet’ Chinese-Dutch Documentary Culinary Series to Air on CGTN (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Sweet Planet,” a one of the highest-profile China-Europe co-productions of recent years, will air on China Global Television Network from Friday. The six-part culinary documentary is a co-production between millennial-focused global channel operator Insight TV, Netherlands-based production company JOIIN, and CGTN. It explore the culinary and cultural impact of sugar in cooking and food rituals around the world.

HYBE Strikes 10-Year Deal With Universal Music Group - variety.com - Japan - North Korea
variety.com
26.03.2024

HYBE Strikes 10-Year Deal With Universal Music Group

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hybe, the Korean firm behind K-pop’s BTS, has struck an expanded 10-year deal with Universal Music Group (UMG), providing Hybe’s roster of artists and labels access to UMG’s leading global network. UMG will further collaborate with Hybe’s global superfan platform Weverse, bringing more of a direct connection between UMG artists and their fandom. Hybe and UMG will additionally collaborate on artist promotions and marketing activities in North America under the oversight of Scooter Braun – who, in his time as CEO of Hybe America, acquired QC Media Holdings and incorporated SB Projects as well as Big Machine Label Group into the existing roster. Hybe and UMG first teamed up in 2017 on BTS, through a distribution agreement in Japan. In 2021, the companies expanded their relationship with a global strategic agreement which saw collaborations across multiple projects and use of Weverse for fan communication.

Ryan Gosling’s ‘The Fall Guy’ Heads to China Cinemas (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - China - Canada - Japan
variety.com
26.03.2024

Ryan Gosling’s ‘The Fall Guy’ Heads to China Cinemas (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Universal’s “The Fall Guy” will open in mainland Chinese cinemas next month, ahead of its debut in the U.S. and star Ryan Gosling’s native Canada. The film is set to release officially in China on April 30.

Chinese Heist Story ‘The Peking Express’ to Be Directed by Chen Daming - variety.com - New York - China - county Story - city Beijing
variety.com
25.03.2024

Chinese Heist Story ‘The Peking Express’ to Be Directed by Chen Daming

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Acclaimed Chinese film director Chen Daming is expected to direct “The Peking Express,” a book-to-film adaptation of the story of an infamous train robbery that took place 100 years ago. The non-fiction book was written Beijing-based writer and lawyer James Zimmerman and was an ‘Editor’s Choice’ selection by the New York Times. It describes the raid on a luxury express train by Chinese bandits in Shandong Province in 1923 and the ensuing six-week hostage standoff that captivated the world.

China Box Office: ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Takes Weak First Weekend Win - variety.com - China - USA - Taiwan
variety.com
25.03.2024

China Box Office: ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Takes Weak First Weekend Win

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ opened on top of the mainland China box office in its first official week of release. But its debut was soft and led the market to one of its quietest weekends of the year. The Universal-DreamWorks Animation picture earned $14.7 million (RMB105 million) between Friday and Sunday, according to data provided by consultancy firm Artisan Gateway.

Korea Box Office: ‘Exhuma’ on Top for Fifth Weekend, Passes Blockbuster Milestone - variety.com - South Korea - North Korea
variety.com
25.03.2024

Korea Box Office: ‘Exhuma’ on Top for Fifth Weekend, Passes Blockbuster Milestone

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Locally-produced horror-drama “Exhuma” held on to top spot at the South Korea cinema box office for a fifth consecutive weekend. Its complete dominance of the market kept “Exhuma” comfortably ahead of the holdover “Dune 2” and a couple of lower-powered new releases and allowed its running total to surpass 10 million ticket sales. That is the conventional measure of a blockbuster in Korea, a country with a population of roughly 50 million. Over the latest weekend “Exhuma” sold 618,000 tickets for a gross revenue of $4.56 million and a market share of 56%, according to data from Kobis, the database operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The latest increment gives the film a total of $73.4 million earned from 10.2 million admissions.

Warner Bros. Discovery to Expand Anime Production in Japan: ‘The Genre Is Increasing Reach and Relevance Globally’ (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Japan
variety.com
22.03.2024

Warner Bros. Discovery to Expand Anime Production in Japan: ‘The Genre Is Increasing Reach and Relevance Globally’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Warner Bros. Discovery is to significantly expand its investment and production of Japanese anime through its existing local studio in Japan. “We have a Japanese anime studio, which has been producing five or ten anime series per year, over the last few years,” said James Gibbons, WBD president of Asia-Pacific. “We’ve approved expansion to take that to more than ten series per year.” The studio has been operational since 2011 and delivered over 80 titles in that span, a mix of high-quality anime, live action series and movies.

Broadcaster Yomiuri Launching YTV Animation Ahead of Anime Japan 2024 - variety.com - Los Angeles - USA - Japan - Tokyo
variety.com
22.03.2024

Broadcaster Yomiuri Launching YTV Animation Ahead of Anime Japan 2024

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Osaka-based Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation will launch ytv animation, a new brand that will leverage Yomiuri TV’s long history in animation, while also undertaking more challenging titles. The move comes a day ahead of the Anime Japan 2024 convention being held at Tokyo Big Sight. It also comes “ahead of the 60th anniversary in 2027 of Yomiuri TV’s airing of ‘Golden Bat’ in 1967,” the company said. “We will leverage our nearly 60 years of experience producing and broadcasting anime to bring exciting titles to our fans,” said ytv animation producer in a prepared statement.

‘Shayda,’ ‘The Royal Hotel’ Share Film Honors at Australia’s SPA Awards - variety.com - Australia
variety.com
21.03.2024

‘Shayda,’ ‘The Royal Hotel’ Share Film Honors at Australia’s SPA Awards

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Shayda,” a breakout indie movie from Noora Niasari, and Kitty Green’s high-temperature drama “The Royal Hotel” were named best film winners at the annual SPA Awards, presented by the Screen Producers Australia association. The ceremony took place Thursday at Queensland’s Gold Coast, during the annual Screen Forever conference. The event was hosted by actor and comedian Matt Okine. Production company Werner Film, which this week announced its acquisition by the BBC, took three awards including the coveted Media Super Production Business of the year prize. “It’s clear that our production community continues to thrive in the face of a rapidly changing landscape.

Oscar Winner ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Heading to Netflix Outside U.S. and Japan - variety.com - China - Japan - county Patrick
variety.com
21.03.2024

Oscar Winner ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Heading to Netflix Outside U.S. and Japan

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Miyazaki Hayao’s “The Boy and the Heron,” which recently won the Oscar for best animated feature film, will head to global streaming giant Netflix later this year, excluding the U.S. and Japan. The hand-drawn, critically acclaimed fantasy adventure film is part of a renewed worldwide catalog deal between Netflix and the Japanese producer Studio Ghibli, sales agent Goodfellas and independent distributor GKids.

K-Pop’s Aespa Sets Concert Film Theatrical Release - variety.com
variety.com
21.03.2024

K-Pop’s Aespa Sets Concert Film Theatrical Release

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief All-female Korean-pop act Aespa will release its first concert film “aespa World Tour in Cinemas” from next month. The film will have a limited run playing globally on April 24 and 27, it was announced by Trafalgar Releasing, one of the firms behind the “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” movie. The company did not disclose the local releasing partners but said that the film will play in premium formats, including ScreenX, 4DX and Ultra 4DX where available. Aespa’s first world tour “aespa LIVE TOUR 2023 SYNK : HYPER LINE,” ran from Feb. to Sept., 2023, visiting 21 venues across four continents. Launched in 2020 by Korea’s SM Entertainment, the group plays in a range from hip hop and EDM to ‘hyperpop.’ Known for futuristic stage visuals, high-energy choreography and captivating vocals, Aespa was the third K-Pop act to perform at Coachella, in 2022. The new film captures Aespa’s concert at London’s O2 Arena, Aespa’s first-ever U.K.

‘Hamilton’ to Return to Australia, With Jason Arrow Reprising Title Role - variety.com - Australia - New Zealand - city Melbourne - George - Washington, county George - city Santos - county King George - county Hamilton
variety.com
20.03.2024

‘Hamilton’ to Return to Australia, With Jason Arrow Reprising Title Role

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Jason Arrow will reprise the role of Alexander Hamilton as the hit stage musical “Hamilton” returns to Australia later this year. The production will play a limited engagement at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from July 30 through to the end of October, 2024. Sydney is the only city the production will play before leaving Australia. The original Australian “Hamilton” premiered at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March, 2021, before touring to Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand, concluding in June. “We know we have so much unfinished business left with Sydney and we can’t wait to get back to “Hamilton’s” original Australian home.

Profits Slide at China’s Tencent as 2023 Revenues Hold Steady - variety.com - China
variety.com
20.03.2024

Profits Slide at China’s Tencent as 2023 Revenues Hold Steady

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief China’s social media, games and video giant Tencent saw 2023 revenues advance by 10% to $84.6 billion (RMB609 billion). But its net profits slid to $16.3 billion (RMB118 billion), down from $26.3 billion a year earlier. The group is directly affected by weakness in the mainland Chinese economy, which has recovered only slowly since the end of the COVID pandemic, and by ongoing regulatory concerns.

Quentin Lee’s ‘Morning, Paris!’ Series Mania Pitch Melds Comedy, Romance and Asian Ambition (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Paris - China - city Prague - city Vancouver
variety.com
20.03.2024

Quentin Lee’s ‘Morning, Paris!’ Series Mania Pitch Melds Comedy, Romance and Asian Ambition (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Fashion, East-West Asian identities, corporate espionage and romance are on the agenda in “Morning, Paris!,” a new mini-series project being pitched at Series Mania by veteran filmmaker Quentin Lee (“The People I’ve Slept With,” “White Frog”). “’Morning, Paris!’ is a heartfelt comedy about a young modern BIPOC Canadian woman discovering herself in the most romantic city in the world,” says Lee. “Or put another way, it is a limited television series about an aspiring female fashion designer from Vancouver who ends up in Paris Fashion week with a very unlikely companion because she wants to spy on her boss on whom she has a crush.

Jacob Elordi Wraps Production on ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North,’ Australian Epic Series – First Look - variety.com - Australia - New Zealand - Canada - Thailand - county Young - Burma - city Odessa, county Young
variety.com
20.03.2024

Jacob Elordi Wraps Production on ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North,’ Australian Epic Series – First Look

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Five months of production has been completed on Jacob Elordi-starring drama series “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” which is set in the “Euphoria” and “Saltburn” star’s native Australia. An adaptation of the Booker Prize-winning novel by Richard Flanaghan, the five-part series is love-story set against the backdrop of World War II. Elordi portrays Lieutenant-Colonel Dorrigo Evans and co-stars with Odessa Young (“Mothering Sunday,” “Shirley”).

Australian TV Veterans Launch Lantern Pictures to Implant Creative Showrunner System Down Under - variety.com - Australia
variety.com
20.03.2024

Australian TV Veterans Launch Lantern Pictures to Implant Creative Showrunner System Down Under

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief A trio of seasoned Australian television industry figures are launching a new production company, Lantern Pictures. They aim to produce a slate of independent TV content and to help implant the U.S. system of creative showrunners into the Australian scene.

Sophia Zachariou to Depart Australia’s Bunya Entertainment – Global Bulletin - variety.com - Australia
variety.com
19.03.2024

Sophia Zachariou to Depart Australia’s Bunya Entertainment – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Australian TV producer Bunya Entertainment says that Sophia Zachariou will step down as co-managing director, after a five-year stint. Bunya Entertainment is one part the Bunya Group of companies and was established by Zachariou, David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin in 2019. Zachariou is currently in post-production on “The Office” (Amazon) and “Ladies in Black” (ABC) and will deliver these series before she departs the company.

Tencent Music Profits Reach $735 Million, Despite Revenue Decline - variety.com - New York - China - Hong Kong
variety.com
19.03.2024

Tencent Music Profits Reach $735 Million, Despite Revenue Decline

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Net profits at Tencent Music Entertainment, China’s largest digital music company, climbed 36% to reach $735 million (RMB5.22 billion) in 2023 – despite revenues declining by 2% to $3.91 billion. Fourth quarter profits were worth $198 million (RMB1.41 billion), earned from revenues 7% down at $971 million (RMB6.89 billion). The final figures cap a year in which the New York and Hong Kong listed subsidiary of Tencent saw monthly active user (MAU) numbers fall as it successfully organized the transition of a growing number of free users into paying subscribers. In the full year, revenues from music streaming subscriptions grew by 39% to $1.70 billion. That resulted from a 21% growth in the number of paying subscribers (from 88.5 million to 107 million) and a 20% increase in the average revenue per subscriber to RMB10.7 or $1.49.

Miyazaki Hayao’s Oscar-Winning ‘The Boy and the Heron’ to Release in Mainland China Cinemas - variety.com - China - Japan - city Shanghai
variety.com
19.03.2024

Miyazaki Hayao’s Oscar-Winning ‘The Boy and the Heron’ to Release in Mainland China Cinemas

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “The Boy and the Heron,” the Oscar-winning animated feature film by iconic Japanese director Miyazaki Hayao, is finally to be given a release in cinemas in mainland China. The picture is scheduled to release in China on April 3, 2024, according to Alibaba Pictures. Tickets are already available on booking sites such as Maoyan and Alibaba’s Taopiaopiao.

BTS’s V to Boost ‘FRI(END)S’ Hit Single With Cartier Fashion Video - variety.com - France - North Korea
variety.com
18.03.2024

BTS’s V to Boost ‘FRI(END)S’ Hit Single With Cartier Fashion Video

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief V from Korean pop icons BTS will Tuesday unveil a live performance video in collaboration with French luxury brand Cartier in support of his – already hit – new digital single “FRI(END)S.” Released at 1 p.m. Korean time on Friday, “FRI(END)S” is a pop soul song that is the artist’s first solo project since “Layover,” his debut solo album released in September. The English-language song is a love song depicting one person’s confession of love to a friend.

Beverley McGarvey Adds Network 10 to Paramount+ Role in Australia – Global Bulletin - variety.com - Australia - New Zealand - India
variety.com
18.03.2024

Beverley McGarvey Adds Network 10 to Paramount+ Role in Australia – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Beverley McGarvey has been appointed president of Network 10, head of streaming and regional lead for Australia and New Zealand, with immediate effect by Paramount Global. She reports to Pam Kaufman, president & CEO of international markets, global consumer products and experiences at the group.

China Box Office: Previews Propel ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ to Fourth Place - variety.com - China - Taiwan
variety.com
18.03.2024

China Box Office: Previews Propel ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ to Fourth Place

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Previews for Universal Pictures and Dreamworks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” put the Chinese-themed film in fourth place at the mainland China box office, a week ahead of its official theatrical debut. Over the March 15-17 weekend, however, first and second places remained with holdover titles “The Pig, The Snake and the Pigeon” and “Dune: Part Two.” Taiwanese crime film “The Pig, The Snake and the Pigeon,” already playing on Netflix in territories outside China, topped the mainland China chart for the third successive weekend. According to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway, it earned $11.1 million (RMB79.1 million), for a cumulative of $73.2 million (RMB520 million).

Korea Box Office: ‘Exhuma’ Dominates for Fourth Weekend, Hits $67 Million - variety.com - South Korea - North Korea
variety.com
18.03.2024

Korea Box Office: ‘Exhuma’ Dominates for Fourth Weekend, Hits $67 Million

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The South Korean box office had a familiar look. Dark drama, “Exhuma” dominated the chart with a more than 50% market share for the fourth weekend in a row. And, for the third successive weekend, “Dune 2” placed second. “Exhuma,” about two shaman, a feng shui master and a mortician who attempt to reverse the mysterious events happening to a U.S.-based Korean family, earned $5.80 million between Friday and Sunday.

China’s Linmon Pictures Readying ‘Second Sister’ Adaptation, Hong Kong-Set Crime Series ‘Hate Coin’ - variety.com - China - Hong Kong - city Hong Kong
variety.com
15.03.2024

China’s Linmon Pictures Readying ‘Second Sister’ Adaptation, Hong Kong-Set Crime Series ‘Hate Coin’

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Linmon Pictures, one of the most outward-looking mainland Chinese entertainment firms, is preparing premium series “Hate Coin.” The show is being produced in association with Jonathan Wong and Justina Shih’s production company Octagon Metatainment, a Hong Kong-based multimedia studio. “Hate Coin” is based on international best-selling novel “Second Sister,” by successful Hong Kong novelist Chan Ho Kei, whose previous book “The Borrowed” was a crime story that panned five-decades. The story follows the activities of a young woman whose school-age sister appeared to have committed suicide. Suspecting foul play, the woman trams up with a manipulative hacker and cybersecurity expert to try to dig deeper. “What follows is a cat and mouse game through the city of Hong Kong and its digital underground, especially an online gossip platform, where someone has been slandering Siu-Man.

Richard Roxburgh Wraps Peter Greste Kidnapping Film ‘The Correspondent’ (EXCLUSIVE) - variety.com - Australia - city Cairo
variety.com
14.03.2024

Richard Roxburgh Wraps Peter Greste Kidnapping Film ‘The Correspondent’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Richard Roxburgh, star of hit Netflix show “Rake” and “Elvis,” stars in “The Correspondent,” a fact-based thriller. He portrays Peter Greste, the veteran Australian TV news reporter who was kidnapped in Cairo in 2013 while reporting for Al Jazeera. Production of “The Correspondent” wrapped in Sydney, Australia after being directed by Kriv Stenders, who enjoyed major success in Australia with “Red Dog” and also directed hit “Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.” The film is based on Greste’s memoir “The First Casualty” and has an adapted screenplay by Peter Duncan (“Rake,” “Operation Buffalo”).

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