China’s Tianying Media has acquired THE LAST RESORT, a screenplay co-authored by Stan Lee and Bob Underwood, under a development agreement with POW! Entertainment.
The screenplay for THE LAST RESORT was a joint effort by Lee and Underwood and was partly inspired by Stan Lee’s 1970’s comic strip, “THE VIRTUE OF VERA VALIANT” which follows the story of a woman who inherits a resort hotel in space.
Tianying Media plans to produce THE LAST RESORT with the aim of going into production later this year. The forthcoming Chinese sci-fi comedy will meet the ever-changing and rising audience expectation of films released in China. Tianying Media is currently in talks with top Chinese comedy filmmaking teams to board the project.
“Stan Lee is a true legend of our time. We are so excited to be working with POW! Entertainment and to be able to bring the amazing script of THE LAST RESORT to life”, comments Wu Jian, CEO of Tianying Media, “We are focusing on the Chinese market, a rapidly-growing audience that is extremely hungry for new ideas and a variety of different films.”
The script was initially brought to Tianying Media by producers Elliot Tong and Reinhard Schreiner, who founded Roaring China in Los Angeles. With razor-sharp focus and know-how of the local audience, Roaring China was established to shepherd projects and bring A-list Hollywood talent to the Chinese marketplace.
“We want to keep this momentum going with more acquisitions. This is a great feat for Tianying Media and Chinese production as a whole”, adds Elliot Tong.
“We are taking excellent screenwriting from the West and adding local flavors and marketing-sense required for the Chinese audience”, comments Zhou Zheng, president of production for Tianying Media, “The market is ready for this.”
Tianying Media, is closely associated with the state-owned enterprise Tianjin North Film Group. The company has recently part-financed “SHANGHAI FORTRESS”, directed by Teng Huatao, and starring Shu Qi (THE ASSASSIN) and Lu Han (THE GREAT WALL). Tianying Media also has a strategy partnership with China Film Co. Ltd. for domestic distribution in China.
The deal was negotiated by Randy Mendelsohn for Tianying, who will also serve as Executive Producer on the film. POW! Entertainment, Stan Lee, Sheri Rosenberg Kelton and Bob Underwood, will also be named Executive Producers, along with Tong and Schreiner serving as producers.