Headlines from China: These Types of Movies Suffer Box Office Fraud The Most in China

These Types of Movies Suffer Box Office Fraud the Most in China

There are many things hinder the development of China’s film market, and box office fraud is undoubtedly one of them. According to WeChat media account yiqipaidianying’s analysis, the following types of movies suffer box office fraud the most. First, cinemas in smaller cities are more likely to conduct box office fraud due to more cash transactions. People in larger cities are accustomed to purchasing tickets through ticketing apps, such as Maoyan and Tao Piaopiao. For this reason, film genres that tend to do well in smaller cities, such as comedy and action, are more likely to suffer box office cheats. In addition, ticket sales of big-budget foreign imports are more likely to be stolen. In China, only two state-owned companies, China Film Group and Huaxia Film Distribution, are authorized to import foreign films on a revenue-sharing basis. Compared with private distribution companies, these two companies are less capable of monitoring and preventing box office fraud. Read more on yiqipaidianying

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Steven Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One’ Set for March 30 China Release

Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi action film Ready Player One will be released in the U.S. and China simultaneously on March 30 (Beijing Time). Produced by Warner Bros., the film is adapted from an 2011 novel of the same name. Set in a near-future dystopian Earth, people are obsessed with a VR game called the OASIS. When the creator of OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all the gamers to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Read more on Mtime 

Alibaba Quietly Owns Over 10 Cinemas in China

Less than a month ago, Alibaba acquired 7.6 percent of stake in Wanda Pictures, which enhances Alibaba’s power in the downstream sector of the film industry. In addition to Wanda Pictures, Alibaba owns stake in Dadi Cinemas as well. What’s more, Alibaba’s 2017 semi-annual report reveals that the company has acquired a Nanjing-based cinema operator who operates 13 movie theaters across China. Initially aiming to become a major player in all sectors of the entertainment industry, Alibaba changed strategies in early 2017 to focus more on ticketing and distribution but less on film exhibition and content creation. It remains to be seen if Alibaba will switch back to its original vision in the future. Read more on yiyuguancha

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Zhang Yimou’s Martial Arts Drama ‘Shadow’ to be Released This Summer

Renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou‘s martial arts drama Shadow has been set to release this summer, according to an official poster released today. The black-and-white poster employs the style of ancient Chinese ink paintings. According to Zhang, this is a film he truly wanted to make, and the preparation for the film started three years ago. Read more on Mtime