Headlines from China: Luc Besson’s ‘Valerian’ Set for August 25 China Release

 

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Photo: film still from official trailer.

‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ Set for August 25 China Release
It was officially announced on August 1 that Luc Besson’s ‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ scored an August 25 release date in China. For his latest film, Luc Besson spent $130 million on special effects and $210 million on post-production, hiring three companies to achieve the visual effects the director wanted. In addition to the reportedly remarkable visual effects, Chinese audiences are especially looking forward to seeing Chinese-born Canadian star Kris Wu’s performance in this film. Read more on yiqipaidianying

The Chinese Media Company that Attracts Bill Gates Foundation’s Investment
It’s that time of year when Chinese media companies release their semi-annual reports to the public. This year, Zhejiang Huace Film & TV, one of China’s most ambitious entertainment groups, is the first to release their report. According to Huace’s report, the company’s total revenue in the first half of 2017 is 1.75 billion yuan, up 13.11 percent compared to the same period last year. The company has been increasing its efforts in international distribution in recent years, and has been successful in this area. It’s been reported that the Bill Gates Foundation also bought Huace Media’s stock, and even increased their stake in 2015 and 2016. Read more on yuleguan001

Following its Presence on Bilibili, China’s Communist Youth League Appears on NetEase Music
After creating an account and being featured on the home page of popular Chinese streaming site Bilibili, China’s Communist Youth League (CYL) appeared on NetEase’s online music platform on July 30. CYL has been strategically exposing itself on popular Chinese websites to engage China’s younger generations. Within two days, CYL’s account on NetEase Music has attracted more than 20 thousand followers. Read more on yulezibenlun

Placing Ads in TV Shows Costs Millions, but TV Production Companies Barely Make Money
Many hit Chinese TV shows include a significant number of ad placements and often draw criticism from their audiences. Rare successful examples include ‘The First Half of My Life’ and ‘The Advisors Alliance.’ Both of them achieved success, critically and commercially. However, many TV production companies complain that it takes lots of effort to creatively place ads in TV shows, yet all the ad revenue goes to streaming platforms. Read more on yiyuguancha

‘Wolf Warrior II’ Continues to Break Records
On August 1, which is the Chinese national holiday Army Day, the box office of ‘Wolf Warrior II’ reached 293 million yuan. In addition to hype from the holiday season and word of mouth marketing, the film is being screened more than other films in China, which is helping it achieve box office success. On August 2, the film’s screenings amounted to 60 percent of all screenings in China, surpassing ‘Lost in Hong Kong’’s 59.1 percent. Read more on yiqipaidianying