Iron Man is flying to China after Disney subsidiary Marvel announced that the metallic Avenger's next stand-alone adventure will be co-produced by Chinese company DMG Entertainment.
The move will see stars Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle film part of the franchise's third outing in the far east. DMG will invest at least 1bn yuan (£99m) in Iron Man 3, according to Business Week. It will also help to distribute the film domestically.
"This signifies the first multibillion-dollar franchise to be produced between Hollywood and China," said Dan Mintz, head of DMG Entertainment. He described the collaboration as a "milestone" in global entertainment. "Adding a local flavour, and working with our new local partner, will enhance the appeal and relevance of our characters in China's fast-growing film marketplace," said Rob Steffens, Marvel's general manager of operations and finance.
Hollywood has increasingly been looking east, encouraged by the recent relaxation of the quota on foreign films allowed into China and the popularity of Hollywood-made but China-based international blockbusters such as Kung Fu Panda 2. Disney rival DreamWorks Animation's Shanghai-based studio is due to release its first films in 2016. The studio behind the Shrek franchise struck a deal earlier this year with two Chinese media companies and the Shanghai municipal government to bring DreamWorks products to a Chinese audience.
The Iron Man movies see Downey Jr play Tony Stark, a billionaire entrepreneur who has developed a suit of armour that grants him superpowers. The character is due to appear in Marvel's forthcoming Avengers Assemble, which teams the metallic mastermind with Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow and the Incredible Hulk. Iron Man 3 will start filming in the US next month, before moving abroad later this summer.
Comments (…)
Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion