a still from “Lost in Thailand”
‘Lost in Thailand’ Sentenced to a Fine of 5 Million RMB for Unfair Competition
Lost in Thailand, a hit Chinese comedy directed by and starring Xu Zheng, has been sentenced by The Supreme People’s Court of PRC to a fine of 5 million yuan ($796,000) for unfair competition. The film was released in 2012 and went on to make over $20 million at the Chinese box office. Many audiences associate the film with another hit Chinese comedy Lost on Journey (2010), and assume Lost in Thailand is a sequel to Lost on Journey. However, in reality, the two films, although both star Xu Zheng and Wang Baoqian, are produced by two different companies and directed by two different directors. The rights holder of Lost on Journey filed a lawsuit five years ago against Xu Zheng as well as other producers of Lost in Thailand for intentionally misleading audiences during the promotion of the film before its release. Five years later, a sentence is finally announced. Read more on Mtime
‘Annihilation’ Becomes Second Film in China to Carry A Warning
After Fox’s Logan was required by China’s film law to carry a warning for parents, 2018 science fiction horror film Annihilation becomes the second film in China required to carry an age-restriction warning in its marketing materials. After the announcement was made by China’s media regulator on social media platform Weibo, many netizens commented below the post, hoping it was a sign that China would start creating a film rating system. Based on a novel of the same name, Annihilation follows a group of military scientists who enter “The Shimmer,” a mysterious quarantined zone full of mutating landscapes and creatures. The film is rated R in North America. It opens in Chinese theaters on April 13. Read more on Q Daily
Are Horror Movies Profitable in China?
Recently, the upcoming China release of hit American horror film A Quiet Place excites many moviegoers in the middle kingdom. As China lacks quality horror films, people are curious to see how A Quiet Place will perform in this territory. Over the past a few years, the Chinese market has been seeing an increasing number of horror films produced and released each year. However, most local horror films didn’t achieve box office success or critical acclaim due to weak storytelling. Because of China’s strict restrictions on superstition and paranormality, it’s extra challenging for Chinese screenwriters to create solid and engaging horror stories. While horror films’ box office numbers are not high, their return on investment is surprisingly higher compared to other genres due to low production costs. Read more on entgroup.cn
What Can Help a Hollywood Film Succeed in China?
As the Chinese film market continues to grow, it is becoming an increasingly important market for Hollywood films. Some films are box office bombs in North America, but rake in insane money in China. WeChat media account “yiyuguancha” takes a look at 100 foreign films and compare their box office numbers in North America and China. In addition to good storytelling and production quality, here are a few things they found can help a Hollywood film succeed in the middle kingdom: evoking Chinese audiences’ nostalgia, casting popular Chinese actors, partnering with resourceful Chinese entertainment companies on distribution and promotion, and choosing a right release period. Read more on yiyuguancha
