Headlines from China: China Saw Record Low January Box Office Since 2015

China Saw Record Low January Box Office Since 2015

On January 31, Warner Brothers’ animated film White Snake finally topped the daily box office charts after it opened in Chinese theaters 21 days ago. Cumulatively, China box office totaled 3.37 billion yuan ($500 million) in January, down 32.1% compared to the same period last year. This is also the lowest January box office figure since 2015. January box office winner is Bumblebee, which raked in 1.1 billion yuan ($160 million). As this year’s Chinese new year falls in February, it’s not too surprising that the January slate was weak. Read more on Mtime

iQiyi Quietly Launches Short-video App Haoduo Video

Recently, Chinese video company iQiyi quietly released short-video app Haoduo Video (好多)on Apple Store. This new app will use AI technology to recommend content to different users and will  mainly present videos related to hit shows on iQiyi’s streaming platform. Haoduo is not iQiyi’s first short-video app. In the past, iQiyi has launched three short-video apps targeting three different areas: Chijing (吃鲸短视频)specializing in reaction videos, Nadou (纳豆)aiming to entertainment and Jinshi (锦视)targeting the elderly. iQiyi CEO Gong Yu has said in the past that the short-video market is fragmented, with different players focusing on different areas, hence there is still potential for the short-video market to grow. Read more on 36Kr 

Ang Lee’s ‘Gemini Man’ Pushes Back Its Release Date

Ang Lee’s upcoming science fiction movie Gemini Man, which was set for October 4 release, now has been rescheduled to release on October 11, 2019. Instead, horror film Are You Afraid of Dark will arrive in theatre on October 4. Originally slated to be produced 20 years ago, Gemini Man was acquired by Skydance Media from Disney in 2016 and invited Ang Lee to be the director. The film follows Henry Brogen, played by Will Smith, an aging hitman finds himself going against a younger clone of himself. The leading lady, played by actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is also an agent who will be allied with Brogen. Read more on Mtime