Jonathan Papish
About the author Jonathan Papish currently covers the Chinese film industry out of New York City, but previously spent 8 years working in China. Jonathan has been a social media and digital assistant for dGenerate Films, a distributor of Chinese contemporary independent cinema and, most recently, he covered the Chinese market for BoxOffice.com. Jonathan is also an audiovisual Mandarin to English translator and has subtitled several high-profile Mainland films and television programs.
On Screen China: A Chinese ‘Ghost’ Story
Weying’s participation won’t boost 'Ghost'’s Chinese box office even close to the heights achieved by 'xXx: The Return of Xander Cage,' nor will it push it into the red for Paramount; however, an opening weekend near RMB 200 million ($~30 million) and a final gross in the RMB 350-400 million range ($~55 million) will represent another victory for Weying and should get other studios outside of Paramount lining up to cooperate with the company. Read More
China Box Office: ‘Kong’ Sees That Your Grave Is Swept Clean
Three local productions were given wide releases, yet only one – the crime thriller, 'The Devotion of Suspect X' – managed to challenge 'Kong: Skull Island'’s reign atop the box office charts, and even that was short-lived.' Kong' continued its climb to ever new heights on its quest to become the year’s highest-grossing import, and has now earned RMB 964 million ($139.8 million). Read More
How Important Is China To Hollywood’s Bottom Line?
China accounted for $500 million or just 7.7 percent of the $6.5 billion worldwide net revenue from the thirty-two Hollywood films it allowed into the country. By and large, Hollywood films made less that 5% of their worldwide revenue from the Chinese market, indicating that Hollywood's headlong push into China remains primarily about getting early access to a market that still exists in the realm of possibility. Read More
China Box Office: ‘Kong’ Still Rules Jungle
For the first time in fifty days, Hollywood imports lost hold of the daily box office crown as local crime thriller The Devotion of Suspect X debuted in first place on Friday. Yet Legendary’s Kong: Skull Island quickly re-established its dominance on Saturday, and looks to enjoy an easy holiday victory when the three-day Qingming or Tomb Sweeping Festival ends on Tuesday. Read More
Holiday Box Office in China – Tomb Sweeping Festival
The three-day Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday typically sees a significant boost in moviegoing attendance, but it has historically lagged behind other three-day holidays including Chinese New Year, Labor Day at the beginning of May, and the Dragon Boat Festival in June. Read More
China Box Office: ‘Kong’-dom Come
'Kong: Skull Island''s RMB 470 million opening weekend made for the second biggest Hollywood opening this year, behind only 'Resident Evil: The Final Chapter' (RMB 636 million; $92.7 million), and 18% higher than its strong $61 million North American opening weekend—numbers that allow the film’s Chinese funders, Wanda (who own Legendary Pictures) and Tencent to pound their chests. While Kong may appear outwardly to extend Hollywood’s dominance over the Chinese box office, the participation of Wanda and Tencent really make it a victory for the home team as well. Read More
On Screen China: ‘Kong’ Will Be King
After Legendary Pictures’ 'The Great Wall' failed to ignite the box office, the Wanda-owned production company returns to China with its only release of 2017, 'Kong: Skull Island,' another monster movie seemingly tailor-made for Chinese audiences. Read More
How Much Have The Hollywood Studios Earned In China?
Disney easily leads all Hollywood studios in China largely thanks to the success of its Marvel Cinematic Universe. Read More
China Box Office: First Place For ‘Beauty’ Still Less Than Best
With typical press-release hype, the studio has trumpeted Beauty and the Beast’s China debut as the “biggest ever Disney Live Action opening weekend of all-time,” but that would seem to forget that last April, The Jungle Book opened to $50.3 million in China, nearly $10 million more. So, make that "second-biggest ever." Read More
On Screen China: ‘Beauty’ Looks Like a Beast
The official release announcement for Beauty and the Beast came way back on January 24, and the rare two-month interlude has given Disney ample time to unleash a local promotional blitz aimed at young Chinese unfamiliar with the original animation. Read More
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