19 Jun– It's no secret that China will soon be the biggest film market in the world; it's growing fast and is on the way to overtaking the U.S., which currently holds the top spot. So it only makes sense then for these companies from the two powerhouses to team up and produce movies targeted at the Chinese market. Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions has signed a partnership with Tang Media Partners, Donald Tang's Shanghai- and Los Angeles-based entertainment company that Tang founded in 2015, to produce Chinese-language horror and thriller movies, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movies, which will be jointly produced in China and the U.S., will be distributed by Tang Media Partners in China. Their first co-production will be "American Nightmare", set to be shot in Los Angeles.
"Despite Blumhouse's success around the world, we have been unable to crack the Chinese market," said Blum. "With Donald Tang's help we're hoping we can do it now." The horror genre is one that hasn't been explored much in China's film market due to regulatory reasons; only movies that are deemed suitable for all ages are allowed to be screened in cinemas there. The partnership will definitely be a big boost for Blum as most of his productions, which fall under the horror genre, have not been allowed release in Chinese cinemas.
Blumhouse's most recent title that passed for screening in China was "Happy Death Day", earning USD9.6 million there. The doors are definitely opening for Blumhouse following the new partnership as another of its movies, the Oscar-winning "Get Out", has been chosen for this year's Shanghai International Film Festival, marking the movie's first screening in China. Blumhouse Productions is not showing any signs of slowing down as this year alone the studio has about a dozen movies set for international release (more than half of these are already out in cinemas) and more than two dozen lined up for release in 2019 and beyond.