(china org) Gillian Zhao, president of Warner Bros. Discovery China, told China.org.cn that she is always looking for stories that are unique, singular, and universal.
"I believe that when selecting a project, a good story should be the top priority," said Zhao, who served as a juror for the Project Pitches at the Beijing Film Market during the 13th Beijing International Film Festival. "For me, the main criterion for a good story is uniqueness. It must be one-of-a-kind, without any repetition with any of the movies from the 100-year history of Hollywood. Even if it's just a fragment or an element, I hope it is truly pure and original. At the same time, I hope it can have social, artistic, and commercial value. I believe that only in this way can it have a huge attraction and impact."
Warner Bros. has two main goals in China: bringing high-quality English-language movies and producing co-production films. The co-production films are split into two categories: China-focused and globally-focused films. For global films, Zhao said they prefer focusing on sci-fi with universal values and easy-to-understand concepts as well as large-scale productions and special effects. These are Warner Bros.' predominant strengths, thanks to their experience producing sci-fi films like "Interstellar." They can use their resources and experience to elevate Chinese science fiction films to an international level.
In her view, "The Meg" (2018) is one of Warner Bros.' most successful co-production projects in China, with a box office revenue of 1.05 billion yuan in the country and $530 million worldwide. "It has been particularly successful. If Chinese co-produced films can achieve even greater box office returns outside of China, then our Chinese films can have higher production budgets in the future, because their revenue is global," explained Zhao.
"In addition, the most critical mission for China as it moves from being a leading film-producing nation to becoming a film powerhouse is to ensure that Chinese stories travel beyond its borders. This is why I place such great importance on the international market. China's talent, stories, and culture must be better comprehended by individuals worldwide, leading to the establishment of better humanistic and cultural exchanges, ultimately creating a more positive and proactive image for China. I believe that this is the responsibility of every member of the film industry."
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros., the company brought eight classic Warner Bros. films to the film festival for special showings, including "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "Casablanca" (1942), "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994), and "Aquaman" (2018). The company also installed a massive "WB 100" booth at the Beijing Film Market section located in Langyuan Station, an emerging cultural and creative industrial park in Beijing.
"Thirty years ago, Warner Bros. became the first Hollywood company to enter the Chinese market and engaged in a lot of cultural exchanges, talent development, and film co-productions with its Chinese partners. Therefore, the story of China and Warner is a very important chapter in the entire 100-year history of Warner Bros.," Zhao said. With the establishment of the merger, creating Warner Bros. Discovery, in April 2022, they now have access to even more resources and content, especially in documentary making from Discovery. Additionally, a new streaming platform called Max will be launched in May, bringing even more content. Zhao added that there would be more opportunities for cooperation with China in the future, including in the area of documentary film co-productions.
She noticed that certain Hollywood formulas and blockbusters have not been as successful in China as they had been previously. She noted that COVID-19 has significantly impacted entertainment consumption patterns, with streaming platforms and short videos consuming a substantial portion of consumers' time and funds. "We as film companies feel that all audiences' demands for theatrical movies are getting higher, and their expectations are increasing. We must focus on what kind of movies must be seen on the big screen to meet those expectations."
The film executive added that Chinese audiences will soon be treated to another stunning Hollywood blockbuster from Warner Bros. She believes that the new superhero film "The Flash," which is a movie reboot in the DC universe, will be a hit due to its unique emotional depth and departure from traditional superhero movie tropes. "I am also looking forward for you to be able to feel the same way as we do when you see it on June 16."
Source: China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, May 2, 2023
