Kelly Chan.(Photo By Jiang Dong/China Daily)
"China's booming movie market and its huge commercial potential have garnered attention from many international moviemakers. More than 30 foreign exhibitors are holding events in this year's market. The figure doubles last year's," reveals Chen Caiyun, the marketing head with the festival's committee.
Details of big-budget coproductions, jointly produced by China and top film studios from Europe and the North America, have also been released during the festival.
The fantasy thriller Warrior Gate, a Sino-French production by Besson's EuropaCorp and the Shanghai-based Fundamental Films, unveiled its cast on last Friday.
Chinese-Canadian actor Mark Chao, rising Chinese actress Ni Ni and American teen actor Uriah Shelton will star in the 300-million-yuan blockbuster, written by veteran American scriptwriter Robert Kamen, who is also one of the Tiantan awards' jurors, and directed by Matthias Hoene.
New coproductions
Journey to the West, an adaptation from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) classic, will feature the Monkey King again in the summer of 2017. This time, the 3-D version of the popular legend is a collaboration between Paramount Pictures and Beijing Ruyi Xinxin Film Investment.
The Monkey King is a world-famous character and the story will work well with the latest movie technology, says Rob Moore, Paramount's vice-president.
Many of the principal actors in the 1986 classic TV series, who are still remembered by a generation of Chinese viewers, will star in the film that will be produced by Mark Johnson, famed for Rain Man and Breaking Bad.
Hollywood blockbusters are also making their pitches during the festival.
"I'll be back."
The signature line in the Terminator franchise was Schwarzenegger's last sentence in his speech at the opening ceremony.
The 67-year-old American star refers to his possible promotion back in China for the upcoming action, titled Terminator 5 or Terminator: Genisys, which will be released in July in North America. In addition, his action thriller Sabotage will be released across the mainland on April 24.
