RUNNING MAN and SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW to be released in major markets by China Lion

China Lion Film Announces Acquisitions of Running Man 

and Somewhere Only We Know as January & February

Releases for US/Canada & Australia/New Zealand

China Lion Film Distribution has announced that it has acquired the films Running Man from Wanda Media Group and Somewhere Only We Know from Distribution Workshop. Running Man will open on January 29th in Australia and New Zealand and January 30th in the United States and Canada; Somewhere Only We Know will open February 12th in Australia and New Zealand and February 13th in the United States and Canada. Both releases will continue a day-and-date release strategy, allowing audiences in both areas of the world to experience the films in the same weekend as Mainland Chinese audiences.

Running Man from Wanda Media Group is the feature film spin-off of the very popular reality television show originally based on a South Korean variety format. The film stars Wang Baoqiang (Lost in Thailand), Li Chen (Aftershock), Zheng Kai (So Young), Angelababy (Love on the Cloud) Korean singer and TV personality Kim Jong-Kook and Chen He (Back In Time), among others. The show was adapted by Zhejiang TV in China and is produced by Zhenjiang Blue Star Media Co. Ltd., Huayi Bros. and Wanda Media and the story revolves around the celebrities divided into teams and competing against one and other for the ultimate annual prize. The film follows in the footsteps of the $100M USD Mainland grossing reality TV feature spin-off Where Are We Going Dad? which was released in the same weekend last year.

The trailer for Running Man can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdHNBbiUlxU

Somewhere Only We Know from Distribution Workshop is set to be China Lion Film’s biggest release ever, celebrating both the Valentine’s Day Weekend and an early Chinese New Year. Directed and co-written by popular actress Xu Jinglei, the romantic drama takes place in Prague and stars Kris Wu, a former member of the popular Korean music group EXO, along with Claudia Wang and Gordon Alexander. The film will mark Kris’ debut as an actor, who has also contributed to the soundtrack with the song “There is a Place”. Xu also co-stars in the film, which centers on a love story across time; the film is produced by Kaila Pictures and is co-written by Wang Shuo, who wrote the Feng Xiaogang films (and China Lion Film releases) Personal Tailor and If You Are The One. Distribution Workshop is founded by veteran producers/filmmakers Nansun Shi and Jeffrey Chan, with Nasdaq listed Bona Film Group as one of its major shareholders. Based in Hong Kong, it aims to represent and produce the best quality Asian films for distributors worldwide.

The teaser trailer for Somewhere Only We Know can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM8SJ74f2fU

The music video for “There is a Place” from Somewhere Only We Know can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5hWLKwuSA

China Lion Film will release both films in major metro areas throughout North America in addition to Australia and New Zealand; specific release locations will be announced on the company’s website, as well as its Facebook and Weibo. China Lion Film Distribution recently released the films Breakup Buddies, Back In Time and Love on the Cloud.