Headlines from China: Jackie Chan Foundation to Cultivate Next Generation of Action Filmmakers 

Jackie Chan’s Foundation to Cultivate The Next Generation of Action Filmmakers 

Recently, Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation (Beijing) launched the third edition of its filmmaking workshop. This year’s workshop will focus on action film, as it has become one of the most popular and commercially successful genres in China. Featuring Wolf Warrior 2 director Wu Jing and Hong Kong action filmmaker Chin Kar-lok as mentors, this year’s workshop will provide 5-day free training to 100 emerging action filmmakers from all around China. Read more on Mtime

Production Firm Hong Liang Wins Lawsuit Against Distributor Stellar Megamedia

Recently, Chinese production company Hong Liang (泓亮公司) won the lawsuit against Stellar Megamedia (星美发行) for breach of contract. The lawsuit stems from an exclusive distribution deal between the two companies. Two years ago, Hong Liang entrusted Stellar Megamedia to distribute its adventure thriller Lost in The Pacific, which was originally set to open in Chinese theaters during the 2016 Chinese New Year holiday. The distribution deal prevents Stellar Megamedia from promoting other films at the same time. However, Stellar then entered a deal as a co-distrubutor of The Mermaid and rescheduled the release of Lost in The Pacific for a less lucrative season, which contributed to the box office flop of Lost in The Pacific. This case marks the first win in China over such a situation between a producer and a distributor. Read more on Entertainment Capital

Upcoming Romantic Drama ‘Us and Them’ Projected to Exceed $316 M at the Box Office

This year, 11 films will open in Chinese theaters during the upcoming May Day holiday. Industry experts predict that Rene Liu’s directorial debut Us and Them will likely rake in over 2 billion yuan ($316 million) in ticket sales and set new records for romantic drama. Another highly anticipated film of the season is crime drama A or B, which also shows potential for significant box office success. As Chinese moviegoers’ tastes are increasingly diversified, the room for multiple films to simultaneously succeed at the box office is also growing. Read more yiqipaidianying 

‘Wolf Warrior 2’ Star Wu Jing to Join Sci-fi Movie ‘The Wandering Earth’

Recently, Wolf Warrior 2 star Wu Jing announced that he was going to play a role in upcoming science fiction movie The Wandering Earth, which is directed by Frant Gwo (Guo Fan). The film is based on renowned sci-fi author Liu Cixin’s novel of the same name. While the Chinese film industry is rapidly growing, none of the local films in the science fiction category have achieved critical acclaim or wide recognition. Wu Jing expressed his concern over this situation and his eagerness to support Chinese science fiction filmmakers. Read more on Mtime