Gkids has acquired North American rights to Chinese animated feature “White Snake.” The film was released in China earlier this year and this week has its international premier at the Annecy Int’l Animated Film Festival.
The company, which has handled multiple Oscar-nominated animated films, plans to release “White Snake” theatrically this autumn. It will present original Chinese and new English-language versions.
The film was produced through Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation in a co-venture with Warner Bros. Released in mainland China on Jan. 11, the film achieved a box office score of $66 million (RMB449 million), making it the 15th ranking film this year and the second highest scoring Chinese animation of 2019.
It was co-directed by Amp Wong and Zhao Ji and is conceived as a prequel to one of the most ancient and enduring stories in Chinese history. It features a young woman who has lost her memory, and who encounters mysteries and supernatural forces as she searches for her identity.
The rights deal was negotiated directly between GKids and Light Chaser. In other territories outside China, Japan and North America, international sales are handled by Hong Kong- and Paris-based All Rights Entertainment.
Gkids has released acclaimed international animation titles “The Secret of Kells,” “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya,” “When Marnie Was There” and “Mirai.” “White Snake” is the company’s first Chinese-made title.