Feng Xiaogang, Xu Zheng and Guan Hu Tentpole Films in the Works as Alibaba Pictures Unveils Blockbuster Slate at Shanghai
More from Variety
Leading Chinese film studio, Alibaba Pictures has announced a slate of seven tentpole movies that it hopes will reinvigorate the mainland China box office.
The titles straddle martial arts, drama, history, sci-fi and comedy and are presented as the first elements of the company’s second five year plan.
They were revealed on Monday at a major event within the ongoing Shanghai International Film Festival and with large numbers of relevant producers, directors and stars in attendance.
“At a time when the film market needs vigor, we need more tentpole productions to keep it working,” said Li Jie, Alibaba Pictures president. In notes provided, the company pointed out that the mainland China box office last year recovered to 85% of its pre-pandemic level and that, so far in 2024, the Chinese box office is the world’s largest.
However, there are worries that recent film industry prosperity may falter. Indeed, 2024 box office has slowed in recent weeks and is now tracking 3% below that of 2023. Alibaba said that the number of movie-goers and their frequency of attendance had also stalled. “How do we ensure the continued prosperity of the film industry and move from the plateau to the peak?” asked Li. His answer is to deliver more Chinese blockbusters.
Alibaba Pictures, which has activities that straddle film investment, production, distribution and marketing, has been seen to take different positions in the past – including lead promotor, joint distributor, co-producer, in-house producer and licensor.
The first of the seven to reach theaters is a fantasy, directed by Wuershan (“Creation of the Gods”) which has an English-language title “I Am Nobody” and a Chinese title that means “Under the Alien” and is adapted from a web comic of the same name. Alibaba called it a “supernatural world that boldly explores the integration tradition and the present day.” Releasing on July 26, the film stars a crop of leading young actors including Hu Xianxu, Li Wantan, Feng Shaofeng, Narana Erdyneeva, Lan Xiya and Nashi.
Xu Zheng’s “Upstream,” set in the food delivery milieu, will arrive in theaters on August 9. Xu plays the protagonist Gao Zhilei, who became unemployed overnight and had to make a life by handling deliveries. Xu is both director and lead actor. Other major cast include Xin Zhilei, Wang Xiao, and Jia Bing. Other recently-released documents show that Alibaba’s position on “Upstream” is as joint producer, lead promotor and distributor.
With a Chinese title that translates as “Burning City” and an official English-language title of “Fallout,” Hong Kong’s Edko Films is producing what Alibaba bills as China’s first nuclear radiation disaster film. Directed by Anthony Pun and starring Andy Lau and Karen Mok, the picture is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The other four films are at earlier stages of production.
Directed by “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, “Blade of the Guardians” will start shooting in July with a cast headed by Wu Jing (“Wolf Warriors”) and Nicholas Tse. It is also a comic book adaptation and Alibaba described it as “a heroic martial arts movie of the kind that Chinese audiences have been missing.” Related documents show that Alibaba’s roles are as “self-producer, co-producer, leading promoter and distributor.”
Guan Hu, who was in Cannes with “Black Dog” and appears in competition in Shanghai with “A Man and a Woman,” is set to direct “Dongji Island,” a story about the sinking of the Lisbon Maru, an armed troopship, during World War II. A documentary about the same shipwreck played this week in Shanghai, but Guan’s picture is expected to be told from the perspective of fishermen who rushed to the rescue. Actors are reported to be undergoing diving training ahead of a shoot later this year. Alibaba Pictures is credited as ‘main producer.”
“The Decisive Moment” is a sci-fi odyssey about a group of astronauts who are trapped in space. The film is directed by Zhang Disha and produced by Huang Jianxin, with a cast led by Huang Bo, Gao Ye, and Leo Wu. (The film’s Chinese title translates as “When the Stars Shine.”)
Leading director, Feng Xiaogang’s new project “I Know Who You Are” is at production design stage. Based on the novel of the same name, it is a catch-me-if-you-can story that starts in 1949 and stretches over 40 years, involving a Communist policeman and a foreign spy. Hu Ge and Lei Jiayin are set for the leading roles and will start production on Nov. 1.
“Chinese blockbusters should take quality, industrialization and large-scale production as their three key characteristics. Their mission is to reflect four major themes: individual destiny; feelings for family and country; humanistic care; and resonance with the times,” the company said in a statement.
The seven films “trace the long-standing development of Chinese culture [..] and also show concern for the joys, sorrows, anger and happiness of every person alive and living in Chinese territory,” it said.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
