Michael Douglas’ Animal World’ Gets Central Asia Release (EXCLUSIVE)

By Patrick Frater

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The U.K.’s Trinity Cine Asia will Thursday give a theatrical release to Chinese thriller “Animal World” across multiple territories in Central Asia. Starring Michael Douglas, alongside Li Yifeng and Zhou Dongyu, the film was released in China on June 28.

The film releases in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan Thursday. Previously in August, it had theatrical releases in Russia and Ukraine on over 800 screens through distributors Megogo and Kinomania. International rights sales are handled by CMC Pictures.

Directed by Han Yan, and adapted from a Japanese manga, “Animal World” sees a man coerced into boarding a ship which is hosting a high stakes gambling party. It was set as the opening night film of the Shanghai International Film Festival in June.

“This is a game-changer for Trinity and the Cine Asia brand, which lays the path for future expansion and marks the start of a very exciting adventure,” said Cedric Behrel, co-founder and executive director of Trinity Cine Asia.

“The world is a much smaller place now compared to when we released our first film in the UK in 2006,” said Trinity Cine Asia’s co-founder and executive director Robin Grbich. “Through an alliance of fantastic partners we have built over the years we are now in a position to be more ambitious than ever before.”

The company, which aims for day-and-date releases of Chinese and other Asian titles says that it is currently acquiring a slate of Asian martial arts and action films, across both Western and Eastern Europe countries, in late 2018 and 2019.