DreamWorks Animation's upcoming Trolls has scored an official release date in China — Oct. 28 — one week before it opens in North America on Nov. 4 via distributor 20th Century Fox.
Directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Walt Dohrn, the film will be distributed in China by Shanghai-based local joint venture Oriental DreamWorks.
Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake lend their voices to the animated musical comedy. Timberlake voices Branch, a dark-haired recluse who keeps his distance from Kendrick's pink-haired Poppy, the leader of the Trolls troupe. After a slew of their tribe is stolen away, the two pair up for an adventure that sees them butting heads and, yes, making a cloud rain.
James Corden, Gwen Stefani, Russell Brand, Jeffrey Tambor and Christina Baranski are also featured in the star-studded voice cast. The movie is produced by Gina Shay.
Oriental DreamWorks signed a Trolls merchandising deal for the China market with the state-backed film distributor China Film Co. in April.
DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda 3 grossed $154.3 million of its $520 million worldwide total in China at the start of the year — slightly more than the $143.5 million the movie made in North America.
Other Hollywood titles coming to China soon include Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and Jason Statham's Mechanic Resurrection, both on Oct. 21.