China’s Meridian Entertainment Forms Strategic Partnership with The Blacklist
Beijing-based Meridian Entertainment announced today that the company had formed a strategic partnership with The Blacklist, a US-based leading online script marketplace. Founded by media veteran Jennifer Dong in 2013, Meridian Entertainment specializes in film and TV financing, production, and distribution. The company has also formed strategic partnerships with James Schamus’ production company Symbolic Exchange and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse production in the past. Read more on Sina
Tencent Video, iQiyi, and Youku Unite to Fight Unethical Practices
Today, China’s three leading online video platforms Tencent Video, iQiyi, and Youku jointly released a statement, asking companies in the industry to join forces to fight against unethical and unprofessional behaviors. They urge production teams to take the initiative to push back against the trend of unreasonably high salaries and some actors’ self-serving behaviors. The three companies also plan to build a database, which will include actors who once violated contract, behaved unprofessionally, or disrupted production schedule. Read more on Mtime
China’s Jinyi Media Corp. to Build Another 30 IMAX Theaters
On April 4, IMAX and Jinyi Media Corp., one of China’s top film exhibitors, announced that the two companies had reached a deal to build another 30 IMAX theaters, which would make Jinyi the owner of 90 IMAX theaters. The deal also makes Jinyi the third largest partner of IMAX in China. Currently, Jinyi operates 32 IMAX theaters, and is on course to build another 58. Read more on Mtime
Will This April Continue to be Hollywood’s Lucky Month in China?
Hollywood movies have beaten local productions in each April over the past six years. This year, however, the chance for Hollywood to continue this triumph is slim. Although Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One is doing well and Dwayne Johnson’s Rampage is opening in the middle kingdom on April 13, most of the highly anticipated titles are local productions to be released during Tomb Sweeping (Qingming) Festival and May (Labour) Day holiday. In addition, Indian film Hindi Medium, which opens in China on April 4, has also ramped up Chinese moviegoers’ anticipation . Read more on yiqipaidianying
