Posts tagged ‘entertainment’

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13/05/2013

* Alibaba’s Jack Ma and actor Jet Li open tai chi school in China

SCMP: “Movie star Jet Li has joined up with renowned Chinese internet entrepreneur Jack Ma to open a tai chi school in a bid to promote the traditional exercise.

Ma is founder of the world’s biggest online retailer, Alibaba, where he stepped down as chief executive last week saying he wanted to do more in education and the environment.

Former Alibaba CEO Jack Ma performs tai chi at the opening ceremony. Photo: Reuters

He is a keen devotee of tai chi, and has made references to Chinese martial arts in both business strategy and corporate culture.

Jet Li speaks at the unveiling of the school in Hangzhou. Photo: AFP

Li rose to fame for his kung fu skills and has starred in such films such as the Chinese historical epic Hero and the Hollywood blockbuster The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

The school in Hangzhou will teach tai chi and martial arts under a disciple of a well-known master, said a statement from Ma’s company provided on Monday.

It is part of a larger development in a wetlands park which includes commercial services, according to the statement.

The film star and the entrepreneur already have a jointly-owned cultural company which provides tai chi training to company employees.”

via Alibaba’s Jack Ma and actor Jet Li open tai chi school in China | South China Morning Post.

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10/04/2013

* China’s Dalian Wanda Makes a Play for European Movie Theaters

WSJ: “Just months after grabbing a chunk of the U.S. movie-theater market, China’s Dalian Wanda Group Corp. is moving toward becoming a global power in film exhibition, holding talks to purchase a European chain.

The talks follow Wanda’s $2.6 billion purchase last year of the second-largest U.S. chain, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc., which has nearly 5,000 screens at 344 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

A Wanda spokesman said the conglomerate has held talks to buy a European chain but declined to provide further details.

People familiar with the situation said the conglomerate has shown interest in at least two of the Continent’s largest chains, Odeon & UCI Cinemas Holdings Ltd. and Vue Entertainment Ltd., both based in the U.K. and with thousands of screens in multiple countries. There are other European chains that Wanda could target as well.

In addition to AMC, Wanda operates 1,000 screens in China, the world’s second-largest movie market, and is aiming to expand to 2,000 by 2015, Chairman Wang Jianlin said last year.

Acquiring a big chain in Europe could make Wanda a major player in both ends of the film business; Mr. Wang has said he wants to invest in making movies in China and elsewhere. Wanda representatives have had talks with Hollywood studios about co-financing a slate of U.S. productions, people close to the discussions said.

Owning European theaters also could give the Chinese company significant leverage when negotiating the terms under which it splits box-office revenue with Hollywood studios.”

via China’s Dalian Wanda Makes a Play for European Movie Theaters – WSJ.com.

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07/08/2012

* DreamWorks Plans Studio in Shanghai

WSJ: “DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. on Tuesday signed plans with Chinese partners to build a $350 million movie studio in Shanghai to capitalize on the success of its Kung Fu Panda film franchise as the studio looks to build up its presence in a fast-growing Chinese movie market.

The studio will be 45% owned by the California animation company, with the remainder held by media-related companies controlled by the Shanghai government. The partners also plan an entertainment zone that could bring the total investment to 20 billion yuan (US$3.14 billion) to be largely funded in China.

The foundation of the project is the animation studio, DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said in an interview. “The talent must exist here in China if only they had the knowledge, training and opportunity,” he said.

The partners said the film “Kung Fu Panda 3″ will be co-produced in Shanghai for a 2015 or 2016 release. The Shanghai studio plans its first film by 2017 and would build toward one to three major films a year, with an aim to build an animation base in China that can produce films for a world-wide market.

The joint venture said on Tuesday that it plans to build a tourism and entertainment complex that it calls the Dream Center with an opening date of 2016 in Shanghai’s Xuhui district. The facility near an abandoned airport will include tourist attractions, restaurants and commercial space, the joint venture said. Mr. Katzenberg said his company will help design that aspect of the business but be a small minority partner in the park, which represents the largest share of the investment plans.

The moves—which were announced in part earlier this year—come as rival Walt Disney Co. also looks to build up its presence in Shanghai. The U.S. entertainment company last year began construction of its own $4.4 billion theme park with Shanghai-government partners that will also include hotels, restaurants and other amenities.

Western entertainment companies are looking for ways to tap the fast-growing Chinese entertainment market. China’s box-office revenue surged 42% in the first half of the year to $1.28 billion as increasingly affluent consumers head to the movies. But the domestic industry is still underdeveloped, with foreign productions dominating the business. Mr. Katzenberg said American movies have represented 70% of the Chinese box office so far this year.”

via DreamWorks Plans Studio in Shanghai – WSJ.com.

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14/06/2012

* Actress Sues Publications Over Bo Allegations

NY Times: “One of China’s most famous actresses has filed a libel suit against two prominent Hong Kong news organizations over articles saying she was paid to have sex with Bo Xilai, the deposed Communist Party official.

The actress, Zhang Ziyi, sued Apple Daily, a well-known tabloid newspaper, and Next Magazine Publishing, both of which are owned by Next Media. Executives at the companies have declined to comment. Apple Daily reported this spring that Ms. Zhang made $110 million by sleeping with Mr. Bo and other officials in recent years; the article said she was introduced to Mr. Bo by Xu Ming, a tycoon who has been detained in the Bo investigation. Mr. Bo, a former Politburo member, is being investigated for abuse of power.”

via China – Actress Sues Publications Over Bo Allegations – NYTimes.com.

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