Wu Xiubo
Variety Shows and Brands Drop Wu Xiubo Amid ‘Break-up Fee’ Controversy
Yesterday, many cinema managers in China had an unpleasant day because of the cancellation of romantic drama film Someone Like It Hot 2. The film was originally scheduled to release during Chinese New Year and then rescheduled to open on January 24 due to its lead actor Wu Xiubo’s recent scandal. Many theaters had to do extra work to make arrangements for the reschedule. But now the release is completely cancelled, as Wu’s scandal continues to escalate. According to sources familiar with the matter, movie theaters and the film’s producers and investors are not the only parties that are affected by Wu’s scandal. According to sources familiar with the matter, many variety shows that feature Wu have been canceled or will be reshot. Wu have also been removed from many brand websites as a brand ambassador. Read more on Sina
Wang Sicong Launches New Program to Support Chinese Screenwriters
Recently, Wang Sicong, President of Banana Pictures and son of Wanda CEO Wang Jianlin, invested 6.3 million yuan to host a screenwriting competition. The program is seeking screenplays (in Chinese) by writers under 45 years old from all around the world. Winner of the top prize will receive a cash reward of 1.5 million yuan. The program’s promotional video, which was released today, criticizes various issues in China’s screenwriting sector. In China, screenwriters are a relatively disadvantaged group in the film industry. The bar is high for people who are interested in entering the field. Yet, most professional screenwriters struggle financially. They sometimes don’t get credited properly or receive compensations on time. Wang Sicong’s program promises to pay winning screenwriters on time, protect their intellectual properties, and provide resources to help bring their works to the big screen. Read more on Mtime
Chinese-Russian Co-production ‘How I Became Russian’ Hits Chinese Theaters
How I Became Russian, a 2019 romantic comedy drama film co-directed by Russian director Akaki Sakhelashvili and Chinese director Xia Hao, has been released in theatre since January 24th. Adapted from the Russian TV series of the same name, the rom-com follows a young Shanghainese man who goes to Russia to meet his future father-in-law. Cast members of the film includes Chinese actor Dong Chang and Russian actors Vitaliy Khaev, Elizaveta Kononova, and Sergey Chirkov. Read more on Mtime.
