Zhao Yifang, president of China’s leading entertainment conglomerate, Huace Group and Gary Hamilton, managing director of Arclight Films, in Los Angeles have signed a comprehensive strategic alliance that draws the blueprint for a, multi-faceted $300 million feature film collaboration. The partnership plans to deliver no less than three films per year through Aurora Alliance Films, a newly created joint production company by Huace Group and Arclight Films.
The newly formed team also officially announced a plan to develop, finance and produce a slate of high concept international co-productions. The first pictures through the new venture have all secured top-tier Hollywood directors to be formally announced soon.
Hamilton said, “By working together with the Huace Group, we now have a great partner providing a 360-degree view of insight into the Chinese marketplace and to all our coproduction projects. We can fully maximize efficiency in project financing, increase profitability, and achieve overall success at the Chinense box office through Huace’s solid distribution outfit with the added bonus of Arclight Films and Easternlight rounding out sales and distribution in the US and all over the world,” said Hamilton. “This venture will bring a new wave of cinema to the global marketplace, ensuring the happiness of audiences and investors alike. It’s definitely a win-win situation and cannot be more perfectly timed.”
Yifang said, “After a few years of communications we believe Arclight Films is the most suitable partner in Hollywood for Huace at this stage. Arclight Films has a well-established global distribution network and a thorough understanding of the Chinese market, which will dramatically help the integration of our resources. We look forward to collaborating and to brining Sino-US co-production work to a new level. Furthermore, our strategic partnership with Arclight Films will also help Huace to build its own global distribution network.”
According to a joint statement released earlier this year, Huace and Arclight Films have begun work on the action-thriller Lights Out. Huace and Arclight are in final negotiations with a legendary Hollywood director to helm.
Huace and Arclight Films also have Safecracker in the works, a crime-action feature written by Paul Staheli, to be directed by Gregor Jordan. Jordan is the mastermind behind numerous international blockbusters including Buffalo Soldiers as well as Heath Ledger’s hit films Two Hands and Ned Kelly. Gregor is often credited with discovering Heath Ledger.
The group is also developing and producing one of the biggest budgeted Chinese co productions ever mounted. The film, an action-packed thriller, is being developed with Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk who recently produced Gods Of Egypt, the $200M film directed by Alex Proyas as well as The Expendables with Sylvester Stallone and John Wick with Keanu Reeves.
The new film, which the company is keeping under close wraps, will be a controversial international action film. The producers are currently in negotiations with James McTeigue to direct. McTeigue made his directorial debut in 2006 with the box-office hit V for Vendetta. The film will shoot in Australia and China in 2016.
The new venture is actively looking to develop, produce and finance co-productions with high-profile talent across all disciplines.
Arclight Films http://www.arclightfilms.com