AROUND 50 new movies will hit theaters by the end of August, taking the total of new releases over June-August to around 90, according to leading online pre-sale sites maoyan.com and gewara.com. China’s national college entrance examination, or gaokao, ended June 8, which means students have three months off. And families and teenagers form a big part of the theater-going population. Just like in past summers, domestic productions again dominate the lineup. When it comes to foreign films, Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic “Dunkirk” will be released on the Chinese mainland Sept. 1, around 40 days after its North American premiere. Other Hollywood movies anticipated in summer are “Cars 3” and “Baby Driver,” which have already been released in North America. The two movies are expected to be released on the mainland at the end of August. Typically, big budget foreign movies seeking a global market are released on the Chinese mainland either simultaneously or a bit later. Industry watchers also see the summer as a key period to boost the domestic film sector, which has been largely overshadowed by its foreign rivals for at least the past six months. In the first half of 2017, around 250 movies were released in around 8,500 mainland theaters, raking in 27.2 billion yuan (US$4 billion), up 10 percent year on year, according to a report by the online ticketing platform Tao Piaopiao. But only five domestic movies, or 28 percent, were among the 18 blockbusters surpassing 500 million yuan. More than 70 percent of Chinese-language movies earned less than 10 million yuan each. But, in a piece of good news, 50 million more tickets were sold than in the same period last year, with the bulk of the increase coming from smaller cities. Big-budget war films such as “The Founding of an Army” and “Wolf Warriors II,” both set to debut July 28, are making waves as this year marks the 90th anniversary of the formation of the People’s Liberation Army. “The Founding of an Army” retells the story of the 1927 Nanchang Uprising, a major chapter in the Communist-Kuomintang conflict during the civil war. The makers of “Wolf Warriors II” are so confident in their product that it is believed that they have signed a pre-pay contract with the distributors. The producers believe that the movie will bring in at least 800 million yuan. The first “Wolf Warriors” movie, made with a budget of around 100 million yuan in 2015, made 525 million yuan at the box office. Wu Jing, the actor-director of the franchise, says the new movie, which has scenes shot in Africa, used 12 military tanks, two similar-sized helicopter props, 50,000 bullet props and more than 100 cars for the film. Using star power to attract the public to watch revolutionary content was first tried in 2009 with “The Founding of a Republic,” and was followed with “Beginning of The Great Revival,” also known as “The Founding of a Party” in 2011. Coming-of-age movies are also doing well. “Fist & Faith” (which debuted Thursday) is about Chinese teenagers fighting Japanese invaders in northeastern China in the 1930s, and “Our Shining Days,” which premieres July 28, is about Chinese folk music. Hong Kong veteran musician Kubert Leung is the music director of “Our Shining Days,” which features top talent such as Japanese pop diva Mika Nakashima and Chinese mainland songwriter-singer Zhou Bichang. Animated film fans also have cartoon features to entertain them. But “Dahufa” (“Safekeeper of the State”), now ranked as one of the most anticipated animated movies, is different. It is a rare Chinese movie with a self-rated certificate. The cult tale is a hybrid of traditional Chinese ink painting-like landscapes and violence. But for its supporters, “Dahufa,” which was completed last year, is a milestone for the Chinese animated film industry, which has often been criticized for lack of appeal when it comes to adults. The sci-fi movie genre, another weak spot for the Chinese movie industry, is also seeing new contenders. After Yang Mi’s sci-fi thriller “Reset” received mixed reviews, a new tale “Meow” starring Hong Kong star Louis Koo is in the fray. “Meow” features a cute, fluffy alien, and producers hope it will resonate with pet lovers. The fantasy genre, which typically dominates TV dramas, is also seeing big-screen versions of the small-screen hits. “The Legend of Naga Pearls” and “Once Upon a Time” are two examples of such films. (China Daily) ? | 