Ay’s Corporate Entertainment World alongside FilmOne Entertainment has signed a co-production deal with Chinese HuaHua Media that will produce the first-ever China-Nigeria film, 30 Days in China.
The film comes out in 2020 and will feature both Nollywood and Chinese actors. As the title implies, it will be shot in China—in Huahua Media’s gigantic studios—with Ay reprising his Akpos role from 30 Days in Atlanta and A Trip to Jamaica. Huahua Media could be a big deal for Nollywood, the company has invested in major Hollywood blockbusters such as Transformer: The Last Knight, Star Trek Beyond and Godzilla: King of Monsters.
“We are very excited about 30 Days in China which will be released into a worldwide market through the partnership of Huahua Media, Corporate Entertainment and Filmone Entertainment,” Ay writes. “This I believe will create more opportunities and extend the influence of our arts to global markets.”
30 Days in China will expose Nollywood to the Chinese film market—which is the second-largest in the world and has become a major influencer of global Box Office earnings—while giving Huahua Media a glimpse of Nollywood’s potential.
The deal also echoes global interest in Nollywood. Netflix is currently flirting with the industry: the Lionheart acquisition, the licensing deals and the few co-productions slated for 2020. Also, French Canal Plus recently acquired Mary Remmy Njoku’s ROK Studios.
“The 30 Days in China project is not just one to add a feather to our wings as a company,” Moses Babatope, FilmOne Entertainment co-founder, told Variety. “It positions the Nigerian film industry on the global stage as an advancing player, especially in terms of quality. We hope that this will open doors to more international collaborations.”