Amblin Partners, Spielberg’s entertainment company, has signed a pact with Alibaba Pictures, the entertainment arm of Jack Ma’s ecommerce giant Alibaba Group, in a wide-ranging deal that allow the two to co-produce and co-finance movies. One prominent lawmaker has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to look into the dealing of Wanda and other Chinese firms investing in entertainment. It recently signed a deal with Sony to invest in a handful of the studio’s movies, giving Sony access to Wanda’s theatrical and marketing clout. The big-budget Roald Dahl adaptation opens Oct. 14 in China after grossing just $55 million in the U.S. and Canada. Alibaba has a large pull with Chinese entertainment consumers, operating an online ticket-selling platform, a streaming service and a set-top box maker.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 09, 2016 16:43 UTC