iQiyi Announces A Plan for Original Films
On May 10, Chinese video streaming giant iQiyi hosted its annual conference in Beijing. At the conference, iQiyi announced a grand plan for original movies. According to Ya Ning, President of iQiyi Pictures, iQiyi will partner with various production teams to exclusively finance, co-produce and distribute original films. iQiyi will be in charge of green lighting, financing, promoting and managing productions while its production partners will be responsible for the actual development and production of the films. Budget for each production will range between RMB 20 million-50 million ($2.91-7.27 million). Ya Ning also mentioned that iQiyi’s original films will be released theatrically. Read more on Mtime
‘Toy Story 4’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Set to Release in June in China
Chinese film market is expected to be filled with Hollywood blockbusters in June. After X-Men: Dark Phoenix (June 6) and Men in Black: International (June 14) scored June release dates, Toy Story 4 and Spider-Man: Far From Home have also just been set to release in June. Toy Story 4 will be released day and date with the U.S. on June 21 while Spider-Man: Far from Home will be released on June 28, which is 5 days earlier than its North American release. Both release dates came from reliable sources who are familiar with the matter, although have not been officially announced. The summer moviegoing season in China officially starts in July. Currently, only The Secret Life of Pets 2 (July 5) scored a July release. Read more on Mtime
Gong Li to Star in Peter Chan’s Upcoming Film
Several sources reported that renowned Chinese actress Gong Li had been confirmed to star in Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan’s upcoming film about the women’s national volleyball team of China. In the film, Gong Li will play the role of Lang Ping, a former volleyball player and the current head coach of the national team. Currently, the film is eyeing a 2020 Chinese new year release. Read more on Sina
