Tencent Brings Entire Star Wars Saga Online in China

SHENZHEN: Tencent Holdings has signed deals with The Walt Disney Company and 20th Century Fox to be the exclusive TVOD and SVOD online provider in mainland China for the complete Star Wars epic.

This landmark deal sees the creation of a single Star Wars digital hub in China that will provide access to the entire saga in the run-up to the December release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Available online for the first time in the country, Star Wars episodes I-VI were released today via Tencent’s various online channels, including both the film and video channels of v.qq.com, film.qq.com and the Tencent Video app. Tencent has the number one video platform across PC and mobile in China.

In addition to the release of the six movies on the first official Star Wars digital hub, fans will be able to explore a variety of extra content, including shorts, behind-the-scenes features, deleted scenes, video featurettes and a curated collection of classic Star Wars extras from each of the original films.

“The deal shows that Tencent is the destination of choice for studios seeking to extend their best movies and shows to the huge Chinese audience,” commented SY Lau, the senior executive VP of Tencent and president of Tencent Online Media Group. “Through this collaboration with Disney and 20th Century Fox, we will elevate and tailor the Star Wars experience for fans via Tencent’s strong understanding of the market and the viral network effect of the highly connected Tencent user base.”
 
“Excitement for Star Wars is at an all-time high as we get ready for the global release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” said Carol Choi, the VP of marketing at The Walt Disney Company China. “By working with Tencent we can extend the Star Wars franchise to Tencent’s massive user base and go to the heart of digital lifestyles in China. Tencent’s multiplatform capabilities and track record in distributing and protecting IP made it the clear choice for this collaboration.”
 
Alvin Fu, the managing director of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment China, added, “We are pleased to be working with Tencent to offer viewers in China the opportunity to enjoy Star Wars on demand. For the first time the country’s millions of Star Wars fans will have digital access to the biggest entertainment franchise. This is a huge win for the existing fans as well as those who will be introduced to the iconic movies through this collaboration.”