Fresh off Monday’s news that it had picked up five Academy Award nominations, best picture favorite “Green Book” is set for more good luck. The film will hit Chinese theaters on March 1, the first weekend after the Oscars, which fall on Feb 24, Alibaba Pictures announced on its official social media account.
The film will open in China more than three months after its Nov. 21 U.S. release, leaving tech-savvy Chinese viewers plenty of time to see it online. But awards season glory will likely give “Green Book” a box office boost. A Chinese-language poster circulating online prominently features the Oscar nods, with a banner front and center of a golden statuette flanking the list of nominations taking up more space than even the film’s title.
Alibaba Pictures recently confirmed that it had invested in the movie, and has been talking up its involvement since earlier this month. Alibaba owns the major ticketing platform Tao Piaopiao, which it will likely use to help promote the film.
“It is such an amazing picture, which includes humorous dialogues, excellent acting performance, and touching friendship,” Alibaba Pictures cited its president Zhang Wei as saying in its Tuesday post of the release date. “We are so honored to participate in the course of co-production, as well as to introduce it to the Chinese audience. He added that the film “brings joy to audiences and transmits the values of ‘positive energy,’” using a popular Communist party catchphrase.
The comedic drama starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali has recently nabbed three Golden Globes, including best motion picture, and the Producers Guild of America’s Award for best picture. It received five Oscar nods for best picture, best actor, best supporting actor, best original screenplay and best film editing. Mortensen is best known in China for his turn as the Ranger Aragorn in the “Lord of the Rings” series, while Ali is popular for his work in “House of Cards.”
Alibaba says that the film will be imported by China Film Group, distributed by Huaxia Distribution, and translated for Chinese audiences by the Changying Group.
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