China’s Leading Entertainment Group Joins Top International Film Company in Joint Venture with Aurora Alliance Films that will Create, Sell and Distribute A Slate of High-Profile International Co-Productions
Huace Group and Arclight Films Form Strategic Alliance with New Production Company, Aurora Alliance Films, Featuring a $300M Slate of Chinese, American & Australian English Language Co-Productions with Top-Tier Directors and Talent
Zhao Yifang, President of China’s leading entertainment conglomerate, Huace Group met with Gary Hamilton, Managing Director of Arclight Films, in Los Angeles. During the meeting, both parties signed a comprehensive strategic alliance that draws the blueprint for a, multi-faceted $300M feature film collaboration. The partnership plans to deliver no less than three films per year through Aurora Alliance Films, a newly created joint production company by Huace Group and Arclight Films.
The newly formed team also officially announced a plan to develop, finance and produce a slate of “high concept” international co-productions. The first pictures through the new venture have all secured top-tier Hollywood directors to be formally announced soon.
According to a joint statement released earlier this year, Huace and Arclight Films have begun work on the action-thriller Lights Out. Huace and Arclight are in final negotiations with a legendary Hollywood director to helm.
Huace and Arclight Films also have Safecracker in the works, a crime-action feature written by Paul Staheli, to be directed by Gregor Jordan. Jordan is the mastermind behind numerous international blockbusters including Buffalo Soldiers as well as Heath Ledger’s hit films Two Hands and Ned Kelly. Gregor is often credited with discovering Heath Ledger.
The group are also developing and producing one of the biggest budgeted Chinese co productions ever mounted. The film, an action-packed thriller, is being developed with Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk who recently produced Gods Of Egypt, the $200M film directed by Alex Proyas as well asThe Expendables with Sylvester Stallone and John Wick with Keanu Reeves.
The
new film, which the company is keeping under close wraps, will be a controversial international action film. The producers are currently in negotiations with
James McTeigue to direct. McTeigue made his directorial debut in 2006 with the box-office hit
V for Vendetta. The film will shoot in Australia and China in 2016.
The new venture is actively looking to develop, produce and finance co-productions with high-profile talent across all disciplines.
Established in 2002, Arclight Films is one of the world’s leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home entertainment. Arclight Films has sold over 300 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner CRASH, and Golden Globe® Best Picture NomineeBOBBY and LORD OF WAR starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke. The company has become a vital force behind an array of top Chinese movies that are sold and distributed internationally, such as 3D disaster-thriller Bait, the highest grossing Australian film in the history of Chinese cinema (box office: 160 million yuan), and the epic action film Outcast starring Nicholas Cage, Hayden Christensen and Crystal Liu.
Arclight Films has successfully brought films to markets overseas that include Chinese blockbusters like 14 Blades, The Four, Wolf Warriors and Zhongkui:Snowgirl and the Dark Cristall. Arclight Films also encompasses Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster FORBIDDEN KINGDOM starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 BLADES starring Donnie Yen, and legendary auteur Chen Kaige’s SACRIFICE.
The latest additions to Easternlight include SNOW GIRL AND THE DARK CRYSTAL starring Li Bingbing, WOLF WARRIOR starring Wu Jing (which opened #1 at the Chinese Box Office, earning more than $32.5M in one weekend), OUTCAST starring Nicolas Cage, SPECIAL ID starring Donnie Yen, BADGES OF FURY starring Jet Li and Cannes Film Festival “Directors Fortnight” official selection and Toronto International Film Festival Gala Selection DANGEROUS LIASIONS starring Zhang Ziyi, Cecilia Cheung and Jang Dong Gun.
Since its inception in 2014, Huace Pictures has put strategic emphasis on both production and distribution. There are 8 movies in line, which Huace will independently distribute for the second half of 2015. The 3D Sino-US co-production Lost in the Pacific starring “Superman”Brandon Routh, and the action film Left Behind starring Nicolas Cage are both on the list. According to earlier media reports, the number of movies distributed by Huace will reach 12, with a minimum box office estimate of 2 billion yuan. After teaming up with Arclight Films, the latter’s deep roots in North America and its vast global distribution networks will further add to Huace’s competitive advantages. The two are set to build the global distribution networks for Chinese movies.
Gary Hamilton, Managing Director of Arclight Films, who has worked with Chinese mega stars such as Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen, told reporters that he is very excited about the long-term partnership with Huace, and looks forward to jointly developing films of various genres including but not limited to action, science, horror and comedy. “By working together with the Huace Group, we now have a great partner providing a 360-degree view of insight into the Chinese marketplace and to all our coproduction projects. We can fully maximize efficiency in project financing, increase profitability, and achieve overall success at the Chinense box office through Huace’s solid distribution outfit with the added bonus of Arclight Films and Easternlight rounding out sales and distribution in the US and all over the world,” said Hamilton. “This venture will bring a new wave of cinema to the global marketplace, ensuring the happiness of audiences and investors alike. It’s definitely a win-win situation and cannot be more perfectly timed.”
Zhao Yifang, President of Huace Group said, “after a few years of communications we believe Arclight Films is the most suitable partner in Hollywood for Huace at this stage. Arclight Films has a well-established global distribution network and a thorough understanding of the Chinese market, which will dramatically help the integration of our resources. We look forward to collaborating and to brining Sino-US co-production work to a new level. Furthermore, our strategic partnership with Arclight Films will also help Huace to build its own global distribution network.”
About Arclight Films
Arclight Films is one of the world’s leading international sales companies for theatrical, television and home entertainment. Arclight Films has sold over 300 motion pictures including the Best Picture Oscar® winner CRASH, and Golden Globe® Best Picture Nominee BOBBY and LORD OF WARstarring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke.
Arclight Films additionally encompasses subsidiary labels Darclight Films, the edgy genre-driven division of the company whose films include the worldwide horror hits WOLF CREEK, WOLF CREEK 2 and action thriller BAIT 3D (the highest grossing Australian film in the history of Chinese cinema), and a current slate that includes LOST IN THE PACIFIC starring Brandon Routh, and Easternlight, a specialty arm showcasing Asian cinema with the largest film library of any non Asian-based indie film label. Films sold under the Easternlight banner include the worldwide blockbuster FORBIDDEN KINGDOM starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, 14 BLADES starring Donnie Yen, and legendary auteur Chen Kaige’s SACRIFICE.
The latest additions to Easternlight include SNOW GIRL AND THE DARK CRYSTAL starring Li Bingbing, WOLF WARRIOR starring Wu Jing (which opened #1 at the Chinese Box Office, earning more than $32.5M in one weekend), OUTCAST starring Nicolas Cage, SPECIAL ID starring Donnie Yen, BADGES OF FURY starring Jet Li and Cannes Film Festival “Directors Fortnight” official selection and Toronto International Film Festival Gala Selection DANGEROUS LIASIONS starring Zhang Ziyi, Cecilia Cheung and Jang Dong Gun.
Some of the latest additions to the Arclight Films’ slate include DOG EAT DOG starring Nicolas Cage, directed and written by Paul Schrader now in pre-production, THE CONFIRMATION starring Clive Owen and Maria Bello, directed by Academy Award-winner Bob Nelson (NEBRASKA), FRANK & LOLA starring Imogen Poots and Michael Shannon, PREDESTINATION starring Ethan Hawke now in release through Sony Pictures, LAST KNIGHTS starring Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman,RECLAIM starring John Cusack, now in release through Lions Gate, PAPER PLANES starring Sam Worthington, and SHANGRI-LA SUITE starring Emily Browning and Luke Grimes to be released through a major studio.
Arclight Films maintains a presence at all major motion picture and television festivals and markets with offices in Los Angeles, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing and Toronto. For more information on Arclight Films please visit
www.arclightfilms.com