Earth Sequel Among New BBC Worldwide Chinese Co-Pro Deals

LONDON: Marking the official Chinese state visit to the U.K., BBC Worldwide has inked several co-production deals for factual content in China, including a sequel to the hit documentary Earth that will become the first feature film developed under a co-production treaty between both countries.

Earth: One Amazing Day (working title) will be filmed in partnership between BBC Earth Films and SMG Pictures, the film and TV-production arm of Shanghai Media Group (SMG). The film is due out in 2017, with SMG Pictures handling distribution on the Chinese mainland.

That announcement was followed by news that the upcoming BBC One Sherlock special will screen in Chinese movie theaters as part of a global cinema event, pending regulatory approval.

Tim Davie, the chief executive of BBC Worldwide, said: “Today’s announcements herald an exciting new collaboration between the Chinese and British creative industries. There is a keen appetite in China for premium British content and creating two new cinematic experiences in partnership with SMG Pictures is a landmark moment for two of our biggest brands, Sherlock and BBC Earth.”

Madame Wang Jiannjun, the director-general and president of SMG, remarked: “I am delighted that SMG Pictures will be the co-producer of the first feature film to be produced under the landmark U.K. and China film co-production treaty. This milestone event will act as a bridge between Sino-U.K. cultural exchanges and set up a new model for Sino-U.K. collaboration.”

BBC Worldwide and SMG also signed a memorandum of understanding to co-produce Coast China, the local version of a British factual format that chronicles the character of coastal communities. Filming of Coast China, a six-episode series produced by SMG subsidiaries DocuChina and Yunjijianglai, is scheduled to start spring 2017.

“We are delighted to be cementing our relationship with SMG by announcing this exciting new phase of our long-term alliance and look forward to working together toward the exchange of expertise and creation in the making of Coast,” said Kelvin Yau, the general manager for Greater China at BBC Worldwide.

“SMG and BBC Worldwide have enjoyed extensive collaborations over the years,” added Madame Wang Jiannjun. “I’m delighted that our collaboration will now expand to this new co-production of Coast China. SMG is committed to producing top-notch documentaries for audiences in China and the world and this is a brilliant start.”

Partnering with CCTV 9, the documentary channel of China’s national TV network, BBC will also co-produce the blue-chip natural-history series The Hunt. The Silverback Films production will explore the unique dynamic relationship between predators and their prey over seven hour-long episodes, with BBC America and NDR NaturFilm also co-producing. It will premiere in January on CCTV 9.

“The co-production with CCTV 9 for The Hunt demonstrates the shared commitment we have in producing ambitious natural-history content,” Yau said. “CCTV’s involvement will bring this landmark series to a broader Chinese audience across Greater China.”