Now for some actual Transformers 4 news.
We have received a Press Release announcing that Paramount Pictures is teaming with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises to give Transformers 4 a major presence in China; where the franchise is a huge hit.
According to the Press Release:
“I’m proud and honored by how ‘Transformers’ has been embraced by Chinese audiences,” said Michael Bay. “I look forward to working with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises to help reach more people here and deepen their passion for this ongoing story and its characters.” Pursuant to the agreement, China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China. “Transformers 4” is expected to be released in China on or about June 27, 2014. The parties also intend to cooperate in a number of other areas related to “Transformers 4,” including the selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film.You can read the entire Press Release, after the jump. Los Angeles, CA – April 2, 2013 – Paramount Pictures, China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises announced today that they have entered into a Cooperation Agreement regarding the production of “Transformers 4” in China. The Cooperation Agreement was signed on April 1, 2013 in Beijing and Los Angeles.
Pursuant to the agreement, China Movie Channel, under the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), will cooperate with Paramount in broad-based support of the production of the film in China. “Transformers 4” is expected to be released in China on or about June 27, 2014. The parties also intend to cooperate in a number of other areas related to “Transformers 4,” including the selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film.
This agreement represents the first time that China Movie Channel will work with a western studio in the production of a major motion picture.
The unprecedented agreement followed a meeting with Mr. Tong Gang, Vice Minister of SARFT with the Transformers 4 production leaders including director Michael Bay, producer Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore, along with Jiaflix Chairman Sid Ganis and President Marc Ganis at SARFT’s official Reception Hall in Beijing. Minister Tong expressed support for the newly formed China Movie Channel/Jiaflix cooperation with Paramount.
The “Transformers” movies are among the most popular films ever released in China, and Michael Bay is among the most popular directors with Chinese audiences. Transformers 3, Dark of the Moon, released theatrically in 2011, grossed $165 million in China and over $1.1 billion worldwide.
“I’m proud and honored by how ‘Transformers’ has been embraced by Chinese audiences,” said Michael Bay. “I look forward to working with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises to help reach more people here and deepen their passion for this ongoing story and its characters.”
“China Movie Channel and our official movie web site M1905.com have been long term trusted partners with Jiaflix,” said Yan Xiaoming, Chairman of China Movie Channel. “We have been working together in the field of importing Hollywood movies for Chinese television and internet, including Paramount movies, as well as introducing Chinese movies to the North American market and are very delighted with the results we have accomplished together.”
“This is the beginning of a new era of collaboration with the Hollywood studios,” Mr. Yan continued. “We are very confident that the China Movie Channel/Jiaflix cooperation with Paramount will result in the famous Transformers brand being an even bigger success.”
Jiaflix, through its partners, Sid Ganis, Marc Ganis and Kenneth Huang, was the driving force in bringing the new arrangement to fruition. Said Sid Ganis, Chairman of Jiaflix, “Paramount was the first major studio to officially join with us for the distribution of its films over the Jiaflix platform in China, so we are delighted to join our partners at China Movie Channel together with Paramount on this groundbreaking initiative. ‘Transformers 4’ are paving the way.” Jiaflix has recently entered into a long term agreement with Paramount, under which Paramount will supply more than 250 films a year to the new video streaming partnership between Jiaflix and M1905.com, a unit of China Movie Channel.
“We are excited by and grateful for the opportunity to work with China Movie Channel and Jiaflix Enterprises on the production and promotion of ‘Transformers 4,’” said Paramount Vice Chair Rob Moore. “We see this relationship as a reflection of the global power and appeal of both this unique franchise and Michael Bay’s talents as a filmmaker.”
Metroplex79
I don't know why I didn't catch onto this earlier.
Since they wouldn't need to cgi any smog for the scenes filmed in China. Thus the next main or side villain would be Toxitron.
Of course once he's killed, story will take us to another location.
Aeronnz
Well, at least this is good news.
Paarthurnax
A cute Chinese girl can hold my balls anytime!
MindChamber
lol, they hold the worlds balls in their hands, and by that I mean raw materials for computer creation. we have no choice.
Alejandro27
There was a time when Hollywood blacklisted Communist actors, now they would be welcomed with open arms lol
JohnRedcorn
They already had, which means they influence the content of our movies to be sure it ain't anti-Chinese.
» ‘World War Z’ Scene Changed to Please Chinese Censors Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!
‘World War Z’ Scene Changed to Please Chinese Censors
Communist Party now holds sway over American audiences
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
April 1, 2013
A scene from the new Brad Pitt movie World War Z had to be changed so as not to offend Chinese state censors, just one of numerous recent examples where American movies are being amended in order to please China’s ruling Communist Party leaders.
“In the offending scene, characters debate the geographic origin of an outbreak that caused a zombie apocalypse and point to China,” a Paramount executive told TheWrap.
Paramount ordered the movie’s producers to choose a different country and redo the scene so as not to upset Chinese censors and threaten distribution in China, the fastest growing film market in the world.
This is by no means the first example of American movie producers being told to edit out negative portrayals of China in order to please Communist Party censors.
“While China has loosened its restrictions on the number of foreign films that can screen in the country, its film board continues to wield a great deal of influence, causing unprecedented changes in plots, release strategies, casting and other elements of Hollywood production,” writes Lucas Shaw.
Concerns that China was interfering in U.S. media were also heard after MGM was forced to delay the re-make of Red Dawn for two years after Chinese state media complained that depicting the invading villains as Chinese “would demonize their state and its citizens.” The bad guys were changed to North Koreans and entire portions of the film had to be revised.
The filmmakers were forced to set about, “digitally erasing Chinese flags and military symbols from “Red Dawn,” substituting dialogue and altering the film to depict much of the invading force as being from North Korea, an isolated country where American media companies have no dollars at stake,” reported the L.A. Times.
An alternate version of Iron Man 3 has also been produced to cater to Chinese audiences as a way of satisfying Communist Party censors.
Large chunks of several movies released last year were also cut by censors, including 40 minutes from Cloud Atlas and 12 minutes from Men in Black 3. All scenes taking place in Chinatown were excised.
A scene from the latest James Bond franchise Skyfall that depicted a Chinese security guard being assassinated was also scrubbed.
The 1984 movie The Karate Kid was also censored at the behest of Communist Party officials, who expressed displeasure at one of the villains being Chinese, leading to 12 minutes of the film being cut.
Last year, Chinese company Wanda purchased AMC, the second-largest theater chain in the USA, increasing fears that the Chinese Communist Party was expanding its influence globally as part of a media takeover.
“Beijing is investing heavily in projecting its “soft power,” or cultural influence, by boosting Chinese state media’s presence abroad, including the USA, where the Chinese government has also run advertisements in New York’s Times Square,” reported USA Today.
Stanley Rosen, director of USC’s East Asian Studies Center, said the Communist Party remained “hyper-sensitive to anything that puts China in a bad light.”
While Chinese censors deleting scenes for their own domestic propaganda purposes is one thing, the fact that American movie studios are self-censoring films before they’re even viewed by Communist Party officials illustrates how draconian Chinese media censorship is already being applied to American audiences.
*********************
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a host for Infowars Nightly News.
major revolt
Well its official , China bought Hollywood.
Scorpio
Pretty sure they announced it for Iron man 3 also – where they air a slightly edited version in China allowing them rights to distribute it differently… essentially meaning they'll cut
costs with worldwide distribution of the film.
Its a virtually untapped market in terms of action movie flicks… especially in China – besides the previously mentioned legal loop hole is another reason.
Autovolt 127
Man China's been getting the special treatment like crazy.
tonyformer
So I guess I don't get a news credit on this one?
http://http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-movie-discussion/850965-tf4-production-enter-cooperation-agreement.html
I posted this news up in the movie section around 12:25
Bumblethumper
Are they selling or buying?
I'm gonna take a wild guess and say the scenes they show will be far removed from the industrial decay of ROTF's China.
MegaHavok
The same thing was recently announced for iron man 3
bman29
So all of the bots will have Made in China on the bottom of their feet, or the name Andy?
darkshot8
I didn't know they had souls to sell
Prime17
'Transformers 4' to Film in China, Star Chinese Actors as Paramount Enters Co-Production Agreement – The Hollywood Reporter
Here's some information from the article:
"Through the agreement, according to a press release, the two Chinese companies will help director Michael Bay in with the "selection of filming sites within China, theatrical promotion, and possible post-production activities in China as well as casting of Chinese actors and actresses in the film."
Staff Edit: You can read the full Press Release at : Paramount Enters Co-Production Agreement In China For Transformers 4