Warner Bros. to Co-Fiance and Co-Produce 3D Chinese Fantasy Adventure Film

Village Roadshow Pictures Asia and Warner Bros. Pictures Board Chinese 3D Fantasy Adventure ZHONG KUI: SNOW GIRL AND THE DARK CRYSTAL, Set for February 19, 2015 Release

SHANGHAI, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Village Roadshow Pictures Asia and Warner Bros. Pictures have signed on as co-financiers and co-producers of Desen International Media’s Chinese 3D fantasy adventure Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal, set for release in China on February 19, 2015, which is the first day of the 2015 Chinese New Year holiday. The two companies will have a significant participation in the film’s global revenues, including those earned in Mainland China and, in addition, Village Roadshow Pictures Asia will have distribution rights in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, and Warner Bros. Pictures will handle distribution in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Vietnam. Beijing Enlight Pictures has also joined the project as a co-financier and Mainland China co-distributor. Other Chinese co-financiers include actor Chen Kun’s production company K. Pictures and Shenzhen-based Wu’s Entertainment.

“Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal is an action-packed fantasy adventure, with dramatic twists and turns and a compelling love story at its core”

Directed by Zhao Tianyu (The Law of Attraction, Deadly Delicious), Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal stars Chen Kun (The Painted Skin, The Painted Skin 2, Bends), Li Bingbing (Transformers 4, Detective Dee), Winston Chao (Eat Drink Man Woman, The Wedding Banquet), Yang Zishan (So Young), Bao Bei-er (So Young) and Jike Junyi (Outcast). An Xiao Fen (Ip Man 2, Tiny Times, Tiny Times 2) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Forbidden Kingdom) are producing.

Shot in scenic locations in Mainland China, Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal depicts the story of Chinese legendary anti-hero Zhong Kui, a young man endowed with mysterious powers who is forced into a battle among the realms of Heaven, Earth and Hell in the course of his attempt to save his countrymen and the woman he loves. The film promises to be a visual feast, with producer Pau also serving as cinematographer and visual effects supervisor, as well as working with 3D stereographer Vincent E Toto (Dredd). Award-winning effects studio Weta Workshop is providing character and set design, while Korean VFX house Macrograph (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons) will produce the visual effects. In addition to being one of the first Chinese films to be filmed in 3D, Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal is also one of the first to use full performance capture. Other behind-the-scenes talent includes action choreographer Jacky Yeung, production designer Kenneth Mak, costume designer Shirley Chan and editor David Wu.

“Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal is an action-packed fantasy adventure, with dramatic twists and turns and a compelling love story at its core,” said producer An Xiaofen. “With an incredible team of international talent both on screen and behind the camera, we’re confident that Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal will become a modern classic of Chinese cinema. We’re thrilled that Village Roadshow Pictures Asia and Warner Bros. Pictures have joined with us and our partner Enlight Films to help realize our creative vision and bring this film to audiences throughout the region and beyond.”

About Desen International Media
Founded in 2006 by renowned Chinese producer An Xiao Fen, Desen International Media is a leading filmed entertainment company in China. With a focus on the creation and commercial exploitation of quality film content, Desen has produced and distributed a wide range of motion pictures including Tiny Times, Tiny Times 2, Full Circle, Lee’s Adventure, Ip Man 2 and 14 Blades.