Sony, Dalian Wanda will collaborate as China-Hollywood partnership continues
Sony Pictures and the Chinese company Dalian Wanda will reportedly be teaming up for various high-profile films. It's the newest development in the relationship between Hollywood and China.
Children watch a 3D war movie at a community theatre in Hefei, Anhui province in China in 2015.
William Hong/Reuters
Dalian Wanda Group of China and Sony Pictures will be working together on various high-profile films, just the latest sign of Hollywood and China teaming up to bring entertainment to moviegoers across the globe.听
Wanda had previously purchased Legendary Entertainment, which recently released such movies as 鈥淪teve Jobs鈥� and 鈥淪traight Outta Compton.鈥�
Sony, meanwhile, has been behind such movies as the 鈥淪pider-Man鈥� films (both the early 2000s movies and the more recent films) as well as the James Bond movies and the 鈥淢en in Black鈥� series.听
As part of the team-up, Wanda and Sony will partner for various high-profile films.听
A statement by Wanda said that the company will " in the films in which it invests," according to the Los Angeles Times.听
writes that some of the movies that could be worked on by Wanda and Sony are the upcoming science fiction movie 鈥淧assengers,鈥� which stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt; the 鈥淛umanji鈥� remake starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, and Nick Jonas; and a new 鈥淪murfs鈥� film.听
According to Deadline, the nature of Wanda's partnership could be to aid with marketing in China as well as co-financing.
The move by Wanda and Sony is the latest development in the growing relationship between Hollywood and China in recent years.听
One project that industry watchers are keeping an eye on is the upcoming film 鈥淭he Great Wall,鈥� which stars Matt Damon, Andy Lau, Pedro Pascal, and a co-production from China and America. It鈥檚 directed by Yimou Zhang and is set to be released in China this December and in the US this February.听Those behind the movie are no doubt hoping the film will win over a global audience.
Some believed China would become the biggest box office market in the world by the conclusion of 2017, but that may not happen by then 鈥� the country's box office declined during the second quarter of 2016.听
Stanley Rosen, a USC political science professor, told that because of this, the timing of the Wanda-Sony partnership is logical.听
鈥淭his makes sense for Wanda because it鈥檚 continuing to establish credibility in Hollywood,鈥� Dr. Rosen said.
Meanwhile, noted that 鈥渄espite an economic slowdown and dipping ticket sales, China showed how it could still be a savior for Hollywood producers in June after Universal's $160 million blockbuster 鈥榃arcraft鈥� managed to chalk up $156 million in China in the first five days despite flopping in the United States.鈥�