Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard’s ‘Allied’ Receives Chinese Investment From Huahua

Dave McNary
Film Reporter

OCTOBER 17, 2016 

Paramount Pictures has received an investment in Brad Pitt’s World War II thriller “Allied” by Chinese film production and marketing company, Huahua Media.

The Chinese production company is the sole China investor in the film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, and will act as the lead China marketing partner for the World War II romantic thriller.

Pitt stars as U.S. intelligence officer Max Vatan who encounters Marion Cotillard’s resistance fighter character during a mission behind enemy lines in Casablanca in 1942 to kill a German ambassador.

Zemeckis directed from Steven Knight’s script based on a true story. Knight is also an executive producer, along with Patrick McCormick, Denis O’Sullivan, and Jack Rapke. Zemeckis and Graham King produce.

The film, which also stars Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode, Raffey Cassidy, Charlotte Hope, and Jared Harris, hits theaters on Nov. 23.

Huahua, in cooperation with Paramount and Skydance, orchestrated a cross-cultural marketing campaign for “Star Trek Beyond” in China, where the film has generated $66 million in box office since its Sept. 2 release. Huahua Media was also one of Paramount’s China marketing partners for Michael Bay’s 2014 film “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” the first foreign film ever to cross the $300 million box office milestone in China.

Paramount’s President of Worldwide Distribution and Marketing Megan Colligan said, “’Allied’ is one of the year’s most anticipated films and we are very pleased to continue our very successful partnership with Huahua, who will help to bring this fantastic movie to audiences throughout China.”

Huahua CEO Kefei Wang said, “We are looking forward to yet another partnership with Paramount Pictures for ‘Allied.’ Our sole investment marks Huahua Media’s third worldwide investment, following our co-investments in ‘Star Trek Beyond’ and ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.’ Based on the success of our past releases, we anticipate a positive response from moviegoers in China.”

not mine.credit and source: VARIETY