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    ‘Star Wars’ makers have high hopes for China success

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments862 Views
    In this Sunday, Dec. 27 photo, Chinese fans, dressed as Star Wars character Stormtroopers, gesture as they arrive for the premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in Shanghai, China. (AP Photo)
    SHANGHAI (AP) --

    The latest Star Wars movie broke the $1 billion mark before fans in China could see it, but producers anticipate "The Force Awakens" will play "very very well" in the world's second-biggest film market.

    The film opens in China on Jan. 9.

    Director J.J. Abrams watched the Chinese premiere in Shanghai with a Chinese audience Sunday night. He told a news conference Monday that he was thrilled to see people "laughing and cheering in exactly the same places that we've seen other audiences."

    "It's a testament to the power of cinema, that it does not matter where you're from, you can get caught up in a story," Abrams said.

    "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" took 12 days to earn $1 billion worldwide, becoming the fastest movie to achieve such a feat. The previous movie to reach $1 billion the fastest was "Jurassic World," which did it in 13 days in June – and which had the benefit of record grosses in China.

    "Star Wars" producer Kathleen Kennedy said the movie's success to date was "a huge surprise."

    "We certainly hoped for enormous success but I think the fact that we crossed the billion-dollars … it's almost so overwhelming it's difficult to really process just what the response has been to the movie so far, and it hasn't even opened here yet," she said.

    "Certainly we're hoping and anticipating that it will play very very well here."

    The Chinese market has become increasingly important for Hollywood as revenues from movie theaters stagnate at home. Some movies have incorporated Chinese characters or stories to try to appeal to the Chinese movie-going audience.

    Asked whether "Star Wars" movies would do the same in the future, Kennedy said they had just finished shooting "Rogue One," the first stand alone "Star Wars" story. Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen and Chinese actor and director Jiang Wen have roles in it.

    "They play wonderful characters and certainly there are many mythologies inside Chinese literature that I know we can explore in the future and find ways in which we can integrate some of those stories into the Star Wars universe," said Kennedy.

    Tags:Star Wars: The Force Awakens



    India’s legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at age 90

    Tuesday, December 24, 2024
    Indian film directors Shyam Benegal, right, is seen during a discussion on Indian Cinema in Hyderabad, India, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A, File)

    Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after suffering from chronic kidney disease. He was 90.

    His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He was also credited with a new genre of filmmaking.

    Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai's Wockhardt Hospital, and his cremation will take place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing his daughter Piya.

    "Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That's the reason for his death," Piya said.

    Many paid tribute to the legendary filmmaker on social media platform X.

    Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote that Benegal told stories without pretense. "They were raw and real, about the struggles of ordinary people. His films had craft and conviction."

    "Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

    He was a mentor to top Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri who made their mark in Bollywood's popular cinema as well.

    "I have lost my foster father, a man to whom I owe more than I can say," posted Naseeruddin Shah.

    "Shyam Benegal was not just a legend; he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations," said actor Manoj Bajpayee.

    Benegal came into the limelight in the 1970s, with a series of films that challenged mainstream Bollywood. His films Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977)... Read More

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