China’s iQIYI Streaming Platform Wants to Produce More Southeast Asian Stars
In a bid to break into and dominate the Southeast Asian entertainment market, Chinese online streaming platform iQIYI has announced plans to launch a talent agency in the region, in partnership with Singapore entertainment group G.H.Y Culture & Media. The decision to launch a talent agency in Southeast Asia stems from the company’s desire to produce relatable talent that will garner popularity among both regional audiences and those in China. But of course, there’s stiff competition to deal with. For instance, Netflix already has a long-established presence in the region, Disney+ recently tapped Southeast Asia in their Indonesia and Singapore offerings, and WeTV, whose parent company Tencent recently acquired Malaysian streaming service iFlix, is also making waves in the region. Read more Mashable SEA
Richard Gere’s ‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ to Get Chinese Remake Starring Joan Chen, Feng Xiaogang
Top Chinese director Feng Xiaogang will step in front of the camera alongside Chinese-American actor-director Joan Chen in a local adaptation of the 2009 Hollywood tearjerker “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,” which began shooting Thursday. China’s version will not feature an Akita, a Japanese dog breed, but instead a Chinese field dog native to the country. The breed is one of a number typically lumped together as “tugou” or “rural dogs.” The film is currently set to premiere on New Year’s Eve. Read more Variety
