FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chow’s fantasy film is the highest-grossing film of all-time in China
HONG KONG (March 22, 2016) Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE), operator of the largest bouquet of pan-Asian channels dedicated to Asian entertainment, announced today that it has secured the first and exclusive pay TV rights to Stephen Chow’s The Mermaid as part of a licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television for CTE’s channels in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore. The Mermaid is now the highest-grossing film of all-time at the Chinese box office.
“We are very excited to secure rights for Stephen Chow’s record-breaking blockbuster The Mermaid through our deal with Sony Pictures Television,” said Ofanny Choi, Executive Vice President, TV Networks, Celestial Tiger Entertainment. “Stephen is a master filmmaker both in front and behind the screen, and we are glad to secure his latest hit for our channels. This film, together with the films from our five output deals, cements our commitment to bring our viewers the biggest Chinese blockbusters with the biggest stars.”
The Mermaid is the tenth directorial effort by visionary filmmaker and comedy superstar Stephen Chow. The fantasy comedy stars newcomer Jelly Lin Yun as a mermaid who is tasked to seduce a ruthless real estate developer (played by Deng Chao) in order to save her kind’s natural habitat. The US$60 million production shattered box office records in China during the Lunar New Year holiday, including the biggest opening day ever for a local film. The Mermaid is also the highest-grossing film of all-time in China with a box office gross of US$520 million and counting.
In addition to The Mermaid, CTE has also secured two other Chinese blockbuster hits of 2016 for its channels: The Monkey King 2, starring Aaron Kwok as the legendary Monkey King and Gong Li as Lady White Bone, and From Vegas To Macau 3, the all-star action comedy sequel starring Chow Yun Fat, Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung. The Monkey King 2 and From Vegas to Macau 3 were the second and third biggest hits in China during the lunar New Year holiday respectively. The two films and The Mermaid helped propel the Chinese box office to over US$1 billion in February, surpassing the U.S. box office for the first time.
CTE has the most exclusive output deals among Chinese movie channels in the region, including deals with renowned Hong Kong movie studios Distribution Workshop, Emperor Motion Pictures, Media Asia, Mega-Vision Project Workshop and Universe Entertainment.
– END –
Media Contact:
Pauline Poon
Celestial Tiger Entertainment
T: 852 2239 6131
E: pauline.poon@celestialtiger.com
About Celestial Tiger Entertainment
CELESTIAL TIGER ENTERTAINMENT (CTE) is a leading independent media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company creates and distributes branded pay television channels and services targeted at Asian consumers.
CTE operates a powerful bouquet of distinct pay television services including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the premier 24-hour first-run Chinese movie channel in Asia and beyond; CELESTIAL CLASSIC MOVIES, the world’s most-widely distributed Chinese movie channel with an unparalleled array of Chinese movie masterpieces; cHK, a general entertainment channel offering cool, chic, and contemporary celebrity-powered Hong Kong entertainment; KIX, the ultimate destination for action entertainment; MIAO MI, the Mandarin edutainment channel created for preschool kids across Asia; and THRILL, Asia’s only regional horror, thriller and suspense movie channel. All of CTE’s channel brands are available as linear, on-demand and over-the-top services. CTE also produces original production for its bouquet of channels.
Headquartered in Hong Kong, CTE’s majority shareholders are Saban Capital Group, a leading private investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment and communications industries; Celestial Pictures, a diversified Asian entertainment company owned by Astro Overseas Limited; and Lionsgate, the world’s largest independent filmed entertainment studio.
For more information, please visit www.celestialtiger.com.