After IMAX had success with its release of Monster Hunt in China (the film is the highest-grossing Chinese movie ever), the giant-screen exhibitor is set to release another local film in China, the epic 3D fantasy Mojin-The Lost Legend.
The co-production between Wanda Media, Huayi Brothers Media and Beijing Enlight Pictures will be super-sized by IMAX for a 3D Dec. 18 release. The move continues a charge by the Toronto-based giant-screen exhibitor into the local multiplex in China with homegrown movies.
Mojin-The Lost Legend, directed by Wuershan and produced by Kuo-fu Chen, is based on Muye Zhang's popular Chinese novels about a group of young treasure hunters on the streets of New York City and ancient tombs in China.
The movie stars Kun Chen, Bo Huang, Qi Shu, Angelbaby and Yu Xia.
"Imax gained incredible momentum this year with Chinese hits and record box-office including within the last few months films like Monster Hunt and Lost in Hong Kong, and we look forward to continuing that success through this holiday season with Mojin-The Lost Legend," Greg Foster, IMAX Entertainment CEO and senior evp, Imax Corp., said Wednesday in a statement.
Local films like Monster Hunt do especially well in China during unofficial blackout periods in which Hollywood studio films move to the sidelines so multiplexes can host homegrown movies. News of Mojin-The Lost Legend filling Imax screens in China follows stock in the giant screen exhibitor's local subsidiary, IMAX China Holding, starting to trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.