More foreign movies are being funded by Chinese money. The telltale signs of Chinese investment are Chinese logos seen at the closing credits of movies such as in “Warcraft” which local moviegoers noticed, prompting some movie fans to ask if the film was a Hollywood or Chinese production.
And it is not just entertainment giants in China, such as the Dalian Wanda group which purchased Legendary Pictures that had invested in foreign cinema. Other Chinese companies that have foreign movie investments are Tencent Pictures and Huayi Brothers, China Daily reported.
“The Great Wall” Earns in China
The Matt Damon-starrer “The Great Wall” is a production of Legendary East but distributed by China Film Group and Universal Pictures in different markets. So far, the movie has reached 1 billion yuan box office in China, but it has not been released in other markets yet.
Another Chinese international cinema investor, Huahua Media, partly funded the production of “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” “Star Trek Beyond,” “Allied” and “The Last Knight.” Chinese companies also invested in past “Transformer” films through product placement, promotion and providing Chinese actors.
Other Investments
Among the foreign films that Alibaba Pictures had been involved are “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” “Star Trek Beyond,” “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” and “Warriors,” an upcoming movie. Some Chinese companies went beyond financially supporting a particular production but acquired a stake in overseas movie companies. Metals from Xinke New Materials bought an 80 percent share in Voltage Pictures, Tang Media purchased a stake in IM Global and Wanda Dalian invested $1 1 billion in Dick Clark Productions.
Dalian Wanda has local investments too, such as the Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, a 30-soundstage film studio under construction, with amenities. The amenities include a yacht club, luxury hotels and theme parks to attract talents from all over the world, Wired reported.