News

Chen Zhixi is now five months into her role as chairperson and president at Wanda Film. Taking the role was a move that made Chen one of the few women at the top of the traditionally male-dominated Chinese film business — and, at 42, one of its youngest and most powerful leaders.

Based out of Beijing, Wanda Film is the largest cinema chain in China, operators of upwards of 900 cinemas with more than 7,500 screens, and a sizable movie production business too.

Chen took the reins at Wanda Film in February as the company transitioned from the control of Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin and the real estate-heavy Dalian Wanda Group, which sold its 51 percent controlling stake in the film unit to an investment arm of China Ruyi Holdings, which includes film production and streaming services among its various holdings. Local media reported the deal was worth around $310 million.

Back in the 2010s, Wang...

Luck is an elusive and intangible force that has been a subject of fascination and intrigue for humanity across cultures and time. Asian cinema, with its rich storytelling and cultural nuances, has explored the theme of luck in various intriguing and thought-provoking ways. From heartwarming tales to thrilling adventures, here are seven Asian movies that delve into the enigmatic concept of luck.

1. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Stephen Chow’s “Kung Fu Hustle” is a comedic martial arts masterpiece that weaves humor and action with elements of luck. Set in 1940s China, the film follows Sing, a small-time hustler who dreams of becoming a notorious gangster. However, his plans take an unexpected turn when he inadvertently stumbles upon a conflict between two legendary Kung Fu masters. Through a series of fortunate (or unfortunate) events, Sing discovers hidden powers within himself, transforming his luck and destiny.

2. God of Gamblers (1989)

This Hong Kong action-comedy,...

“Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms,” the first part of Wuershan’s big-budget “Fengshen Trilogy,” topped the mainland China box office for the second weekend and expanded its week-on-week haul by 35%.

‘Barbie’ also showed signs of resilience in a market where it opened a week earlier in a disappointing fifth place.

“Creation of the Gods I” grossed $57.6 million. according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. That compares with $42.6 million in it opening frame and after 11 days in Chinese theaters, it has earned $156 million. Also, unlike its first weekend, “Creation of the Gods” was the winner on each day between Friday and Sunday.

The “Fengshen Trilogy” set out to be a mega scale blending of history, folklore and mythology from more than 3,000 years ago, that would be China’s answer to both “Lord of the Rings” and “Iron Man.” It counts of Barrie Osborne (“Lord of the Rings...

While “Barbie” was romping to box office records in North American and scoring strongly in many international territories, the pink phenomenon could muster only fifth place in China, the world’s second largest movie market, on its opening weekend.

“Barbie” managed $8.2 million in its opening three days, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway.

Local box office sources show the film trapped in that position on all three days of the weekend session, as the locally-produced titles jostled for leadership and swapped positions. Somewhat encouragingly, the daily score for “Barbie” had increased by Sunday as it was given more screening sessions by Chinese exhibitors.

“Barbie” joins a growing list of Hollywood films that have disappointed at the mainland Chinese box office this year. Others include “The Little Mermaid,” “Indiana Jones” and “Fast X.”

Hollywood titles are facing fewer structural impediments in China (import and certification delays) that they did in recent years.

Tom Cruise failed to do the seemingly impossible in China over the weekend: Revive Hollywood’s former box office muscle at the world’s second-biggest theatrical movie market.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One badly lost its opening weekend in China, debuting in third place behind a pair of holdover Chinese hits.

The Paramount and Skydance sequel opened to just $25.9 million from Friday to Sunday, a steep tumble from Mission: Impossible Fallout‘s $76 million opening back in 2018. Chinese martial arts drama Never Say Never, meanwhile, earned $46.1 million, followed by local animation hit Chang An with $43.9 million.

Never Say Never, written and directed by local comedy favorite Wang Baoqiang (Lost in Thailand, Detective Chinatown), has brought in a healthy $211.5 million since its July 6 opening. Chang An, the latest release from pioneering Beijing-based animation studio Light Chaser, launched July 8 and has a current total of $96.1 million.

Ticketing app Maoyan forecasts Mission: Impossible 7...

Perth, Australia-based production company Legend Media is preparing a slate of three feature films to be produced with partners in China.

The company styles itself as one that recognizes the opportunities for Asian engagement that have fallen to Australia, through geography, trade and culture. The company aims to make use of the bilateral film co-production treaty that came into effect in December 2008 between Australia and China and has been used on average by nearly one film per year.

Operations are headed by Camille Chen, a writer-director-producer with relevant co-production (“Little Sparrows”). The company is backed by mining executive Bronwen Barnes, property developer Paul Lakey, and banking and property executive Darren Cooper.

First up, and aiming to shoot from late January 2020, is “Outback Dragon,” an action-adventure-comedy in the vein of “Lost In Thailand” and “Chinatown Detective,” that is set in gold mining territory around Kalgoorlie, and in Chinese mega-city Shenzhen. Lead...

Having truly cemented his legendary status, Donnie Yen has emerged as one of the few martial arts and kung-fu superstars in the scene that has never really let down his fans, except with this sequel. Still wowing audiences into his 50s with his skill, technique and command of the screen regardless of his role, he returns to the ‘Iceman’ saga with director Raymond Yip for this action-packed sequel, arriving on Blu-Ray, DVD and digital from WellGo USA on February 19.

During the Ming Dynasty, palace guard Ying is accidentally buried alive in a massive avalanche and finds himself frozen in time as a result. Brought back to life and finding his associates Sao, Niehu and Yuanlong still alive, Ying is awakened in the modern-day where he learns that a legendary object can help him return to his time-period, known as The Golden Wheel of Time which can correct the wrongs of history,...

Actor and filmmaker Billy Bob Thornton has joined the line up of speakers at Asia Society Southern California’s U.S.-China Entertainment Summit, which takes place Tuesday at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Thornton will take the stage for a conversation with this year’s honoree, acclaimed Chinese actor, writer, director and producer Xu Zheng. Thornton is well-known to U.S. audiences for a body of work that includes his Academy Award-nominated performances in Sling Blade and A Simple Plan. Xu is one of China’s most popular and influential contemporary film figures, whose movies have had commercial success as well as social impact.

“Billy is the perfect choice to pair with the brilliant performer and filmmaker Xu Zheng for his introduction to a North American audience,” Janet Yang, Chair of the Entertainment Summit, said in a statement. “He matches Xu not only in professional stature, but in their seemingly...

Chinese director Muye Wen has completed his feature debut film. The film was inspired by the real-life story of Lu Yong, a Chinese leukemia patient who bought cheap cancer medicine from India for 1000 Chinese cancer sufferers in 2004. The film stars Zheng Xu (“Lost in Thailand” “No Mans Land”) as Lu Yong.

A trailer for the production has been released.

Synopsis

A story on how a small drug store owner became the exclusive selling agent of a cheap Indian generic drug against Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia in China. (IMDb)...

Chinese comedy drama, “Dying to Survive” opened with a massive $151 million to be the second largest film across the world this weekend. Its cumulative score by Sunday stands fractionally short of $200 million.

Based on real events, about a cancer survivor who took it on himself to import cheap drugs from India, the film is an unlikely winner in terms of subject matter. The film, directed by first time feature maker Wen Muye, changes the lead role to a non-patient, creating parallels with “Dallas Buyers Club.”

The picture got commercial traction by starring comedy titan Xu Zheng, veteran of “Lost in Thailand” and “Breakup Buddies,” and was powered by strong social media interest. It was the first Chinese-language film in 16 years to score 9 out of 10 on the Douban rating site. Adding to the film’s pedigree, Xu also co-produced with serial hitmaker Ning Hao. It premiered last month at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Dying To Survive, a Chinese black comedy with social drama overtones that we’ve been talking about for the past few weeks as a potential breakout during the July blackout on Hollywood movies, is showing serious signs of life in the Middle Kingdom. What’s more, it’s not the sort of film we’ve seen before during this period, and has spurred debate on serious issues.

Four days of previews began last weekend with the official July 6 release date backed up to July 5 as buzz swelled. With today’s locally-reported one-day estimate of about $57M, Dying To Survive has grossed an estimated $141M through Saturday (it’s also on about 500 IMAX screens). The film, directed by feature first-timer Muye Wen, has a 9 score on Douban and 9.7 on Maoyan. The Douban number has only been attained by such movies as Coco, Zootopia and Ready Player One in recent years.

Local...

Bao directs the film and stars alongside Johnny Wen.

Hong Kong-based Golden Network Asia has picked up international rights to action comedy Fat Buddies, which is the directorial debut of leading comedic actor Bei’er Bao.

Bao also stars with Johnny Wen in the film, which was mostly shot in Japan and will be released in October 2018 during China’s National Day holiday period. Korean-American actress Clara Lee (Line Walker) and Japanese action legend Yasuaki Kurata also star.

The story follows a special agent who gains weight during missions, and ends up in a Japanese hospital where he teams up...

This story first appeared in the Sept. 20 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. China: Wang Baoqiang, 29 Part of the trio that turned Xu Zheng's road-trip comedy Lost in Thailand into China's biggest box-office hit ($200 million and counting), Wang deftly moves, Will Smith-like, from comedy to drama (the Cannes competition entry A Touch of Sin) to action (the upcoming Iceman franchise). Photos: The New A-List: 23 Salaries From Angelina Jolie to Robert Downey Jr. Revealed France: Omar Sy, 35 Sy claimed superstar status as the ex-con caregiver in The Intouchables, which earned $426.

read more...

Denmark’s Zentropa Entertainments is to enter the Chinese market and is currently working on its first Chinese-Danish production, which will shoot next year.

The company behind Lars von Trier’s movies as well as recent award-winners The Hunt and A Royal Affair is in negotiations with Chinese partners and expects to secure a long-term production agreement this autumn through new subsidiary Zentropa China.

Rikke Ennis, CEO of TrustNordisk - the joint international sales agency of Zentropa and Nordisk Film - will head Zentropa China.

Ennis recently returned from a visit to China with Nordisk Film chief Allan Mathson Hansen, where they met Chinese state film organisations and private producers.

“We want to work in China on local terms, not just present new Danish films which will hardly be released – only 34 foreign titles reach the Chinese cinemas annually. Our productions will be Chinese,” Ennis explained.

“Neither do we intend to compete on budgets. Last year’s...

As we hit the halfway stage in 2013, I'd like to pause for a moment and take stock of the Asian films I have seen so far this year and throw a little light on my favourites. Of course this isn't an exhaustive list of everything I have seen - or even everything I have liked - after all, I've seen 44 new Asian films already this year. These are just the 10 I liked best...or in this case, the 11 I liked best. 2013 has seen plenty of other, bigger films hit our screens, particularly in China. Xu Zheng's Lost in Thailand, Stephen Chow's Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, Tang Wei's comeback Finding Mr. Right, Peter Chan's American Dreams in China and Zhao...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

eOne Appoints Co-Founder Of Its Aussie Unit To Head Distribution There Entertainment One has promoted Sandie Don to head of distribution for its Australian operation, Hopscotch. Don will oversee theatrical distribution for Hopscotch/eOne including acquisitions, sales and marketing. She previously was marketing and acquisitions director. Along with partners Troy Lum and Frank Cox, Don formed Hopscotch Films in 2002; it was acquired by eOne in 2011. Homegrown ‘Tiny Times’ Wows With $30.8M Opening In China Tiny Times, a Shanghai-set romcom revolving around four girlfriends, had a huge opening weekend in China, putting it on a par with last year’s breakout comedy Lost In Thailand. According to Film Biz Asia, the movie amassed $30.8M in three days. Including previews, it earned $42M in four days. The film is the directorial debut of novelist Guo Jingming and had a 45% market share for the weekend. Meanwhile, Man Of Steel and Jet Li-...

New company will focus on the development, production and distribution of Chinese language films for the burgeoning Chinese market.

Seven Stars Media chairman Bruno Wu [pictured] has launched a new Chinese domestic film company.

Under the Seven Stars Constellation Film Company Ltd. label, the new company will focus on the development, production and distribution of Chinese language films for the burgeoning local market.

In addition, it will also handle theatrical distribution for Seven Stars non-Chinese language titles.

Seven Stars Constellation has already created a joint venture with Liu Yiwei’s Joyful Film. Liu Yiwei led the producing team on Chinese box office smash Lost in Thailand and co-produced and co-developed Finding Mr. Right.

Wu commented: “The recent box office successes of Chinese language films shows that the marketplace will accept and support local films as long as they satisfy the audience with subjects and characters they can relate to.

“They need to be well made, entertaining, and appeal...

Seven Stars Media Chairman Bruno Wu has formed a new Chinese domestic film company, and partnered with one of China's leading production companies, Liu Yiwei's Joyful Film. Under the Seven Stars Constellation Film Company label, it will focus on the development, production and distribution of Chinese language films for the burgeoning Chinese market, the company said Thursday.  Seven Stars Constellation will also handle theatrical distribution for Seven Stars non-Chinese language titles as well. Liu Yiwei led the producing team on the Chinese box-office hit "Lost in Thailand," and co-developed and co-produced another Chinese...

“Say Yes” is a Mainland Chinese romantic comedy based on the hugely popular 1991 Japanese television series “101st Proposal”, which was previously adapted for the small screen in Korean a few years back. Sticking to the premise of a working class everyman falling in love with a rich, beautiful cellist, this new version was directed by Taiwanese helmer Leste Chen, who teams again with his “Love on Credit” leading lady Lin Chiling, joined by the ever likeable Huang Bo (“Lost in Thailand”) as her unlikely suitor. An official co-production with Fuji Television, the film was a considerable hit back in China, pulling in nearly 3 billion yen during its first few weeks of release. The film opens with Huang Bo as construction worker Huang Da out on the 99th in a string of unsuccessful blind dates. Although his rendezvous doesn’t work out, he runs into the gorgeous Yeh Shun (Lin Chiling...

Hong Kong -- Monsters University will make its bow in China as the opening film of the Shanghai International Film Festival, Pixar announced Wednesday. In a statement on its Weibo portal -- China’s version of Twitter -- the animation studio said the Chinese-language, 3D version of the film will be screened June 15 as the curtain-raiser for the nine-day festival. Video: Final 'Monsters University' Trailer Features a Baby Mike Wazowski Pixar also revealed Xu Zheng, the director-star of Lost in Thailand, will voice Sully in the Chinese release -- a casting coup which will drive the film’s popularity in the

read more...

Popular Chinese actress Vicki Zhao Wei (Painted Skin 1 & 2, Red Cliff 1 & 2, Shaolin Soccer) is enjoying great success with her directorial debut, So Young. The film surpassed Stephen Chow's Journey to the West in advanced sales, and went on to open powerfully with RMB45 million, beating the opening day record for a 2D film, previously held by last year's local box office champ Lost in Thailand. Having now grossed nearly RMB500 million (Us$80 million), it is widely believed that So Young will become the highest grossing local film by a female director in China. The film's English title originates from the song So Young by British band Suede that features in the film, while its Chinese title translates to 'To Our Youth...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Us-Chinese co-productions don't appear to be hitting the spot, as Chinese film-makers are catering for domestic audiences with growing success

There's all sorts of meta-cinematic devilry going on in one of the strangest blockbusters of the decade – Iron Man 3. In one scene Ben Kingsley's nemesis, the Mandarin, halts for a lecture on the authenticity, or otherwise, of the "Chinese" fortune cookie – right before laying waste to Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood: "Another cheap American knock-off." You can't help but wonder whether this particular tirade is Iron Man 3 writers Shane Black and Drew Pearce comment on the process of trying to adapt the film for Chinese audiences, and the bigger, east-facing game the whole of Hollywood is playing.

With an eye, like everyone else, on a fistful of yuan, Iron Man franchise-holders Disney and Marvel partnered with Shanghai-based media agency Dmg, who also helped produce Looper last year,...

Hong Kong — The director of China's biggest box-office hit says "Lost in Thailand" succeeded by showing a rarely seen subject: modern Chinese life.

The historical epic, fantasy, action and thriller genres have long filled China's domestic movie screens. But "Lost in Thailand" was a low-budget and light-hearted road-trip tale about an ambitious executive who goes to Thailand to get his boss's approval for a business deal. Along the way he's pursued by a rival co-worker and encounters a wacky tourist who helps him rethink his priorities.

"There is hunger from the audience for movies that talk about the real-life situation in China. That's why the movie rocked," said Xu Zheng, the film's director, writer and star.

"There is a lack of films that talk about things that are related to the life of ordinary people" in China, he added.

Unusually for a Chinese release, the movie was a moral comedy whose characters reflect stressed-out,...

Bryan Singer has announced the latest casting news for his forthcoming movie X-Men: Days of Future Past by tweeting a photo of the current line-up.

Among returning actors Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Anna Paquin, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Shawn Ashmore, Nicholas Hoult, Ellen Page, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, are Daniel Cudmore, Fan Bingbing and Booboo Stewart (no relation to Patrick).

Cudmore played Colossus, aka Peter Rasputin in X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand where he memorably performed the Fastball Special on Wolverine (throwing him into a Sentinel), and looks to reprise his role in Days of Future Past.

Joining him in an unnamed role is his Twilight co-star Booboo Stewart, while Chinese movie star Fan Bingbing has been cast as Blink, a mutant with teleporting powers. Bingbing recently starred in Double Exposure and Lost in Thailand with both films proving to be huge box office hits for...

Hong Kong — The surprise hit in Chinese theaters last year was a low-budget, wacky road-trip comedy that even beat out global blockbuster "Avatar" to become the country's highest-grossing film ever. But "Lost in Thailand" found just a paltry $57,000 during its U.S. theatrical release.

The film that earned 1.26 billion yuan ($200 million) in China joins other homegrown hits that have flopped internationally, and is the latest sign that while the country has become a box-office superpower, it faces a harder task fulfilling its leaders' hopes that its studios will be able to rival Hollywood for global influence.

Action-comedy "Let the Bullets Fly," starring Chow Yun-fat, grossed $111 million at home but $63,000 in the United States, while action-fantasy "Painted Skin: The Resurrection," starring Donnie Yen, earned $113 million domestically but $50,400 in the U.S., according to Hollywood.com.

Chinese movies' overseas box office receipts fell 48 percent last year, alarming regulators, who also worried about...

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is set to join Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Bingbing will play Blink, who has teleportation powers. Singer broke the news on Twitter but only partly. The filmmaker tweeted a semifuzzy photo of a wall of headshots. Most of the actors, ranging from Hugh Jackman to Omar Sy, already had been announced, but a few had not. Story: How Fox Is Reuniting the 'X-Men' Bingbing recently starred in the Chinese art house hit Double Exposure as well as Lost in Thailand, which broke box-office records in China. One of China’s rising

read more...

Bryan Singer just tweeted that Fan Bingbing has been set to play Blink in X-Men: Days Of Future Past. Bingbing recently starred in the Li Yu-directed film Double Exposure, which broke a box office record for an art film in China, and the Xu Zhen-directed film Lost In Thailand, which also broke a box office record of all Chinese films in China. She can next be seen in F… I’m Pregnant by China/U.S. director Eva Jin, and The Bride With White Hair, by Hong Kong director Jacob Cheung. Later in 2013, Bingbing will be shooting The Lady In The Portrait, The Moon & The Sun and Empress Wu Ze Tian. She is also in negotiations to star in the sequel of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She is repped by Wme and Timothy Mou of Fbb Studios.

This story first appeared in the March 29 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. The days of China relying on the expertise of the Hong Kong film sector might be numbered. Exhibit A is the incredible success of Lost in Thailand. Made with a reported budget of only $4.8 million, actor Xu Zheng's directorial debut -- a no-frills odd-couple-on-the-road comedy -- went on to gross $202.4 million in China, making it the country's highest-grossing domestic release to date. Despite the global media attention the film has drawn, though, much less has been said about

read more...

Hong Kong – Another month, another record-breaker. Less than two months after Lost in Thailand became the first Chinese production to take more than 1 billion yuan ($160.3 million) at the local box-office, Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons did the same – and in fewer days than the previous record-holder. Story: Stephen Chow Signs Deal for 'Journey to the West' Theme Park According to figures released on the state-backed China Film News blog, Journey to the West generated 330 million yuan ($52.9 million) from Feb. 18-24, bringing its

read more...

Hong Kong – What a bumbling businessman and a primitive pancake-maker can do, the Monkey King can do better. With the Chinese film industry having just finished celebrating the success of low-budget Lost in Thailand’s record haul last month, another box-office bonanza arrives to take its place, as the 3-D extravaganza Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons now stands firmly in line to become the third film to break the domestic-film box-office record in China in under a year. Having benefited from the cinema-going boom during the so-called “Golden Week” of

read more...

James Cameron’s Titanic was bumped to number three on China’s list of all-time highest-grossing movies in January by domestic comedy romp Lost in Thailand. But that doesn’t mean the country’s millions of moviegoers don’t still swoon at the mere thought of Jack and Rose at the prow of the doomed cruise liner. The hearts of Chinese Titanic lovers will, indeed, go on. In April of 2012, Australian billionaire Clive Palmer announced plans to build the Titanic 2, a high-tech replica of the Olympic-class ship that went down in 1912 and was famously memorialized in Cameron’s mega-blockbuster. Photos: 'A Look

read more...

The biggest hit in Chinese cinema is a marketable contemporary comedy of the ilk of The Hangover. Would it succeed in the Us?

A whiff of revolution was in the air last weekend: could it be that it was coming from that new low-budget Chinese comedy? But Lost in Thailand, opening in a mere 29 out of America's 5,000 cinemas, was no ordinary Chinese comedy. Dubbed China's answer to The Hangover, the $3m (£1.9m) chancer knocked Life of Pi off China's No 1 spot in December and blindsided several domestic blockbusters on its way to becoming their most successful film ever – homegrown or foreign. Something unspoken lay behind expectant articles in the film press for its Us opening: the idea that this could be the point when cinema's trade winds stopped blowing from west to east, and the reverse became possible.

Well, sorry, not quite. Not even Chinese-Americans represented in serious numbers, given...

With Lost in Thailand, the hit sequel to Lost on Journey, Chinese writer/actor Xu Zheng makes a promising—if polite and familiar—directorial debut. Thailand's like a neutered version of the comedies Todd Phillips has recently revived. It's too amiably good-natured to be as offensively contrived as dreck like The Hangover and its knockoffs. When Xu Lang, Zheng's harried businessman, texts "I'm lost" to his unhappy wife, predictably admitting that his frantic quest to close a mysterious business deal in Thailand is not going well, it's more charming than it is trite. Zheng is apparently familiar with a number of cliched situations and generic characterizations. This character has seen a lot of movies, which he acknowledges when he compares his misa...

Its claim to fame is in the numbers: Two months after its release, Lost in Thailand has broken every box-office record in China, with over 40 million admissions and domestic grosses exceeding $215 million. Not bad for a wacky $2-million comedy about a Chinese businessman-inventor (played straight by the film's director-writer-producer-actor Xu Zheng, one of the leads in the witty Hong Kong rom-com Love in the Buff) who rushes to Thailand on a not very well-defined mission in the company of his arch-enemy and a humble pancake-maker. While the exact

read more...

It doesn't look like "Lost in Thailand," China's biggest domestic hit ever, will be breaking any box office records in the U.S. Distributor AMC estimated Sunday that the broad comedy will gross about $29,143 from 35 locations in its first weekend of release in North America. That's a soft $833 per-screen average. Also read: Take That, Rex Reed: Melissa McCarthy, 'Identity Thief' Top Box Office With $36.5M The limited U.S. rollout signaled that AMC was targeting niche, rather than blockbuster, audiences, and its release here is timed to coincide with Sunday's beginning of...

The specialty box office had a slow weekend, likely in part due to the arrival of Nemo on the East Coast. Three films made their limited debuts -- A24's "A Glimpse Inside The Mind of Charles Swan III," Music Box Film's "Lore" and AMC Theaters' "Lost in Thailand" -- though none managed averages in the five figure range. The only film to do that was Sony Classics' Oscar-nominated documentary "The Gatekeepers," which held very strong as it stayed static in 3 theaters. It grossed $42,449, averaging $14,150. That was the highest average of any film in release, wide or limited, and bodes well for the film's expansion in the coming weeks. As for the newcomers, A24's inaugural movie "A Glimpse Inside The Mind of Charles Swan III" had the best per-theater-average, taking in $12,000 from 2 screens for a $6,000 average. Starring Charlie Sheen, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, A24 noted the film increased...

American audiences will get their first look Friday at "Lost in the Thailand," the low-brow comedy that has become the highest-grossing Chinese film ever. The mini-budgeted "Lost in Thailand" -- it cost less than $5 million to produce -- has taken in more than $201.9 million since its mid-December debut in China.  It was that country's highest-grossing film in 2012, easily outperforming the 3D re-release of "Titanic," which was second with $58 million. It will premiere in North American on 29 theaters via AMC. The success of "Lost in Thailand" in its...

Berlin -- Marking the first major U.S. comedy of the year, the Melissa McCarthy-Jason Bateman starrer Identity Thief should have no trouble winning the weekend box-office race in North America, though Winter Storm Nemo could have the last laugh as it dings earnings. Film Review: Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman's 'Identity Thief' Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects, starring Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum, also debuts nationwide Friday. Opening in a limited engagement is the Chinese blockbuster Lost in Thailand, which has grossed nearly $200 million in China, second only to Avatar on the country's all-time box-office list.

read more...

China's record-smashing Lost in Thailand opens in limited release in the United States tomorrow, February 8, searching for an audience that may respond to a comic road trip that "talks about the struggles of the middle class and the grassroots, their happiness or sorrow." That description comes from Zhou Tiedong, president of China Film Promotion International, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month. Twitch's Asian Editor, James Marsh, saw the film in Hong Kong last week, and had a muted reaction, concluding: "Lost in Thailand makes an exciting case for Chinese film financiers to not shy away from contemporary themes and break away from martial arts dramas and period epics. Clearly, local audiences are ready for something more relevant. That said, if China...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Comic actor Xu Zheng's directorial debut broke a slew of box office records to become the most successful Chinese language film of all-time on home soil. But despite slick production values and a strong cast, Lost in Thailand is a private joke, funny only to a 1.3 billion-strong home crowd. Xu Zheng made a name for himself as part of director Ning Hao's comedy ensemble, appearing in the smash hit caper movies Crazy Stone (2006) and Crazy Racer (2009), as well as Ning's still unreleased Western Sunshine (aka No Man's Land). Last year, Xu appeared in Pang Ho Cheung's Hong Kong hit Love in the Buff as Miriam Yeung's rich new boyfriend, but all of that is now firmly in his past, and he is likely to...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

This story first appeared in the Jan. 18, 2013 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. James Cameron, make way for Xu Zheng. The Chinese actor's directorial debut, Lost in Thailand, has grossed an incredible $184.5 million in his home country as of Jan. 6, beating Titanic and becoming the highest-grossing 2012 release in China. The scrappy low-brow comedy -- made on a reported budget of just $4.8 million -- is set to best Cameron again by surpassing Avatar (which took in $221.4 million in the country) to become the most successful movie of all time in China. Photos: 20

read more...

Sneak Peek actor, director Xu Zheng's $4.8 million budgeted, Asian screwball comedy hit, "Lost In Thailand", that earned over $70 million in its first week of release.

"...scientist 'Xu Lang' (Zheng) invents a compound that can increase the volume of any liquid to which the solution is applied, including gasoline. However, he needs authorization from his boss 'Lao Zhou' in order to apply for the patent and turn the invention into cash. 'Gao Bo' (Huang Bo) who was the classmate of Xu in college and his rival at the workplace, is also interested in taking part in the monetization of the invention. When they find out Lao Zhou is in Thailand, Xu prepares for the trip.

"On the plane, Xu meets 'Wang Bao' (Wang Baoqiang) a simple-minded type, who is going to Thailand to fulfill a list of dreams. Wang works at a Beijing restaurant as a chef and claims that celebrity...

Writer / director / star / producer Xu Zheng has just set the bar phenomenally high for himself, absolutely shattering a literal handful of Chinese box office records with his debut directorial effort Lost In Thailand. Best known to fans in the west for his roles in Ning Hao's Crazy Stone and Crazy Racer and Pang Ho Cheung's Love In The Buff the wild success of Lost In Thailand has easily eclipsed any of those films and established Xu as a legitimate force in his own right.Lost in Thailand is the story of two rival business managers, Xu (Xu Zheng) and Bo (Huang Bo), who are fighting over a revolutionary new in-house technology for control of their company. If Xu wins, his future will be...