Chinese Streamer iQiyi Sets Theatrical Deals in Southeast Asia

Chinese films “Trending Topic” and “The Invisible Guest” will be given theatrical releases in Malaysia and Singapore in the coming month.

This step follows agreements between Chinese streamer iQiyi and Malaysian cinema chain GSC and Singaporean distributor Clover Films. Terms, structures and value of the deals were not disclosed.

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“By partnering with GSC Movies and Clover Films for theatrical distribution, we can seamlessly bring Chinese-language films to audiences in Singapore and Malaysia through effective resource integration. This collaboration not only enables us to cater to the local audience’s appetite for Chinese-language films but also ensures timely access to new releases,” said Yang Xianghua, iQiyi’s president of movie & overseas business group.

“China movie productions have made significant advancements, setting new standards in terms of production scale and storytelling. GSC Movies is thrilled to collaborate with iQIYI in bringing high-quality content onto the silver screens for moviegoers in Malaysia,” said Esther Hau, head of distribution & co-production at GSC Movies.

Lim Teck, MD of Clover Films said, “We are very happy to further enhance our partnership with iQiyi and be able to distribute quality movies in Singapore cinemas.” The two companies previously jointly produced comedy film “Reunion Dinner,” directed by Wang Guoshen and starring Liu Yase.

“Trending Topic,” directed by Xin Yukun and starring Zhou Dongyu, Yuan Hong, and Song Yang, releases in Chinese theaters on Dec. 1 and will be released in Singapore and Malaysia afterwards. “The Invisible Guest,” directed by Chen Zhuo and starring Greg Hsu, Janine Chang, Kara Wau and Zheng Yin, releases in China on Dec. 8 and will reach theatres in Singapore and Malaysia thereafter.
IQiyi, a subsidiary of Chinese search giant Baidu, has expanded its streaming operations outside Mainland China, with a business unit headquartered in Singapore that commissions or co-produces TV series, some of which is destined only for audiences outside China.

Announcing quarterly profits last week, the company reported an average daily number of subscribing members (excluding individuals with trial memberships) of 106.9 million. That was up compared to the 100.2 million reported for the same period in 2022, but down compared with the 110.7 million reported for the second quarter in 2023. It does not disclose how many of these are outside of mainland China.

“We have witnessed a growing demand since we started distributing Chinese-language content to overseas markets in 2017. In 2019, iQiyi embarked on a global expansion, enabling us to achieve simultaneous worldwide releases of iQiyi-produced content. This expansion has significantly enhanced timeliness and improved the overall user experience,” said Yang.

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