2022 was not a great year for Chinese cinema — nor were 2021 and 2020: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, China’s zero-tolerance approach to the virus kept cinemas closed, with frequent lockdowns confining filmgoers to their homes for extended periods of time. To get more news about new chinese movies, you can visit shine news official website.
Fearing low audience turnout and subsequent revenue loss, distributors repeatedly postponed film releases in the past three years. The result was a lack of new titles in general, particularly good ones. In 2022, China relinquished its box office crown to North America, raking in $4.35 billion, a drop of 36% from 2021, according to industry data tracker Maoyan Entertainment. Although the pandemic-related restrictions have been largely lifted since December, moviegoers have remained reluctant to visit cinemas as infections surged across the country. But as the first wave of infections subside, studios are now rushing to meet the pent-up demand for new big-screen releases.
Below, The China Project has rounded up 10 Chinese movies we’re most looking forward to in 2023. China’s most famous living director, Zhāng Yìmóu 张艺谋, has been prolific for the past few years, despite being in his seventies. While North American audiences still haven’t had a chance to see his One Second (2020) and Snipers (2022, co-directed with his daughter, Zhāng Mò 张末), a new film by the renowned Chinese director is set to hit Chinese theaters on January 22, just in time for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Full River Red (translated literally from the Chinese title) marks the Fifth-Generation auteur’s return to period film after his 2018 Shadow. Labeled as comedy, the film stars crosstalk performer Yuè Yúnpéng 岳云鹏 and Shěn Téng 沈腾 (Pegasus) opposite singer-turned-actor Yìyáng Qiānxǐ 易烊千玺 (Better Days).
Set in the Southern Song dynasty, the story revolves around a mysterious murder at the treacherous prime minister Qín Huì 秦桧’s residence. A soldier (Shen) and a deputy commander (Yiyang) are tasked to catch the killer, but there are greater forces at play in this fraught conspiracy. The Wandering Earth 2, a prequel to the massive sci-fi blockbuster that came out in 2019, will share the release date with Full River Red. Featuring the original’s director Guō Fān 郭帆 and male lead Wú Jīng 吴京, the second installment added Hong Kong star Liú Déhuá 刘德华 (Shock Wave 2) to its cast.
The much-awaited blockbuster is set to take the largest share of the lucrative Spring Festival box office, but whether it can financially outperform its predecessor — the fifth highest-grossing Chinese film of all time with $700 million earnings — remains to be seen.
While the story of the first film is centered on a plan to propel Earth away from the rapidly expanding Sun using 10,000 giant engines, the prequel’s story will focus on the conditions leading to the space odyssey. The trailers released thus far hint at emotional storylines of desperate fathers, i.e., astronaut Liú Péiqiáng 刘培强 (Wu) and engineer Tú Héngyǔ 图恒宇 (Lau), and their families. And, of course, there’s plenty of explosive action. Although writer-director Chéng Ěr 程耳 hasn’t yet made a name for himself outside China, he’s regarded quite highly among domestic audiences. His previous credits include a 2012 slow-burner crime thriller Lethal Hostage and a stylish, award-winning drama set in wartime Shanghai, The Wasted Times (2016), starring Zhāng Ziyí 章子怡 (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and veteran actor Gé Yōu 葛优 (To Live).
Cheng’s new film also enjoys a star-studded cast, featuring Liáng Cháowěi 梁朝伟 (Days of Being Wild), Zhōu Xùn 周迅 (Hero), and Wáng Yībó 王一博. Set in early 1940s Japanese-occupied Shanghai, the story follows Communist party members in their endeavor to “undermine the agreement between Japan and Chiang Kai-shek and safeguard the motherland,” according to the film’s synopsis on Douban.
Produced by Bona Film Group, which has been behind nearly every big-budget mainstream film for the past several years from The Taking of Tiger Mountain to The Battle at Lake Changjin, Hidden Blade is bound to be a “main melody” movie as well. The real question is whether the film’s talented cast and Cheng’s creative approach can elevate it to something more than just patriotic. Audiences will find out the answer on January 22.
