Netflix doubles down on Chinese language push, buying blockbuster The Wandering Earth

The Wandering Earth
With The Wandering Earth, Netflix said it would be translating the film into 28 languages Credit:  AFP

Netflix is hoping to draw westerners into Chinese drama after buying the rights to a sci-fi thriller which has been the country's second-highest grossing film of all time.

The Wandering Earth has been a resounding success in China, drawing in more than half a billion dollars at the box office, despite having only been in cinemas since the start of Chinese New Year, on February 5. The film, which follows mankind’s efforts to save earth from the expanding sun, is the second most successful film of all time in China, only behind Wolf Warrior 2, which grossed $850m.

The film is not expected to be the only successful sci-fi thriller out of China this year, and speaking to government portal, the film’s director Frank Gwo said: “2019 could be remembered as year zero of Chinese science-fiction blockbusters. It is not just about one successful movie but about the emergence of multiple films.”

This is thought to have come about due to huge leaps in the production value and special effects Chinese producers are able to achieve.

The move by Netflix to snap up the film comes amid a wider push by the US giant to double down on its Asian shows, last year revealing it was developing 17 new Asian original productions.

However, it is not just going after local markets, but has been seeking to make these shows more accessible to western viewers. For example, with The Wandering Earth, Netflix said it would be translating the film into 28 languages, and releasing it into more than 190 countries.

The next few years will see a host of Chinese shows launched across Netflix, and the streaming giant has already revealed that it will be launching its first Mandarin-language original series soon, thriller Nowhere Man, which is in production. It is also planning to launch Taiwanese rom-com series, Triad Princess, but has not given that show a release date yet.

Although Netflix has been pushing into Chinese language shows, China remains one of the few regions where its platform is not available, along with North Korea, Crimea and Syria.

Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings has previously said that the company would need “specific permission from the government to be able to operate, so we’re continuing to work on that and we’re very patient”.

He said it would likely “take some time” before it would be allowed to operate in the country.