Will Fan Bingbing’s Latest Film Finally Be Released?
This post comes courtesy of our content partners at China Film Insider.
Fan Bingbing’s New Film to be Released?
Fan Bingbing's latest film, The Perfect Blue (or "She Kills" in Chinese, 她杀 tā shā) may finally be on the cusp of cinematic release, if the recent publication of the movie poster (pictured above) is anything to go by. Directed by Cao Baoping and starring Fan Bingbing and Huang Xuan, the film is a sequel to the director’s 2015 The Dead End. Cao completed the shooting of The Perfect Blue in May of 2018. Then in June 2018, Fan Bangbing was embroiled in a tax evasion scandal and disappeared from the public eye for several months before being made to pay USD 130 million to the government. Several other films featuring the actress also stalled during that time.
Read more on Mtime.
China to Remake British Drama Series ‘Life on Mars’
China’s Phoenix Entertainment Group is teaming up with BBC to remake the 2006 TV drama series Life on Mars. The BBC drama series features a detective who finds himself transported back to 1973 after being involved in a car crash. In its Chinese-language remake, the protagonist will wake up in the 1990s in Beijing. Phoenix Entertainment is expected to produce 24 episodes for the drama. The company previously produced hit rom-com This is Not What I Expected and the popular web series Day and Night.
Read more on Mtime.
Vincent Cassel Plays Li Na’s Coach in Peter Chan’s Upcoming Movie
Longtime star of French cinema and one of the country's most bankable actors, Vincent Cassel, has recently revealed that he recently been in China to shoot Peter Chan’s film about tennis player Li Na. In the film, Cassel plays Li Na’s coach. The 53-year-old actor first became a star in his native France for his performance in La Haine, Instinct de mort, L'élève, and Irreversible. He has also appeared in several English language movies, such as Black Swan, Ocean’s Twelve, and Jason Bourne.
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Netflix Audience Enchanted by Chinese Food from Chaoshan Region
During the 2019 Chinese New Year holiday, China’s Chaoshan beef hotpot not only delighted Chinese eaters but also Netflix audiences around the world. On Feb 10, Netflix released Chinese documentary series Flavorful Origins on its platform with subtitles in over 20 languages. As a celebration of Chinese food from the Chaoshan region, Flavorful Origins was produced by Tencent Video and created by Chen Xiaoqing, who also directed hit documentary series A Bite of China.
Back in October of 2017, Flavorful Origins was brought to MIPTV Cannes and caught the attention of various TV channels around the world, with Netflix eventually acquiring the international rights for the show. In doing so, Flavorful Origins became the first original documentary series that Netflix has acquired from another online video platform.
While most of the Chinese shows acquired by Netflix were already hit shows in China, Flavorful Origins premiered on Netflix and Tencent Video almost at the same time. So far, the show has been well received on Netflix. One audience wrote on social media that "I’m binging Flavorful Origins on Netflix and now all I want to do is travel the world and eat food."
Read more on Entertainment Capital.
Netflix Acquires Streaming Rights to ‘The Wandering Earth’
American streaming giant Netflix has also acquired the international streaming rights for China’s first science fiction blockbuster The Wandering Earth, according to sources familiar with the matter. Inside China, the film’s streaming rights belong to Youku. With Netflix's acquisition, the film will be subtitled in 28 languages and made available to audiences in 190 countries. Ato time of writing, Netflix had not announced a release date for the film.
In addition to The Wandering Earth, Netflix has purchased international rights to Chinese films Us and Them and Animal World. As of Feb 21, The Wandering Earth is the second highest grossing film of all time in China with a cumulative box office of 4 billion yuan. Despite the film's huge takings, the 2017 Spring Festival blockbuster Wolf Warrior 2 remains the number one grossing film ever in China, securing ticket sales of RMB 5.68 billion (USD 840 million) during its extended theatrical run,
Read more on Mtime.
READ: 'The Old Barber' Documents Death, Dignity, and a Dying Art in Rapidly Changing Beijing
Photos: Den of Geek, China Film Insider, Netflix
