Headlines From China: China Box Office: ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Opens to $10M Amid Mass Cinema Shutdowns

China Box Office: ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Opens to $10M Amid Mass Cinema Shutdowns

Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore cruised to an easy win during its opening weekend in China, but the prize was smaller than usual. The Harry Potter spinoff sequel earned just $9.7 million, according to data from Artisan Gateway. Thanks to ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks, an estimated 54 percent of China’s cinemas are currently closed. Read more The Hollywood Reporter

NetEase, Bilibili Jump in U.S. as China Ends Video Game Freeze

Shares of Chinese video-game makers and live-streaming platforms rallied in U.S. premarket trading after Bloomberg News reported China has approved the first batch of new video game licenses since July. The Chinese government “is very modestly easing back its tech regulatory scrutiny,” Vital Knowledge founder Adam Crisafulli wrote in a note this morning. Read more Bloomberg