H Collective Expands Slate With iQIYI, Adds COUNTER SPY From Craig Kyle
Following the H Collective‘s acquisition of the xXx franchise, Variety has word that the film is now part of a six-film expansion deal with Chinese streaming service, iQIYI. A few titles have been made public in the report this week, namely action comedy Counter Spy which is said to be the first film coming from the deal going forward.
Plot details are under wraps for the new project which former Marvel executive Craig Kyle is penning from an original draft by David Rothenberg and Lionel Enns. Kyle is best known for writing and producing a number of Marvel films and projects. He served on the creative committees for the inaugural MCU feature, Iron Man, and on Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk. His latest screenwriting credit, Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok, grossed nearly $854 million dollars worldwide.
“The expansion from co-production and distribution to investment was a natural progression for our partnership,” said H Collective CEO Nic Crawley. “Having iQIYI financially support our ideas and slate is not something we take lightly. As our company wraps our first year, where we’ve proudly hit all targets, and we now enter our second year with a very strategic positioning.”
“With our great resources and proven track record of success in China, we believe that we can produce successful English-language films together with The H Collective. And we can achieve better box office results in the global market, especially in China,” said president of iQIYI Pictures Ya Ning.
Production on Counter Spy is expected to begin early next year.
D.J. Caruso, whose directing contribution to Vin Diesel’s title reprisal in xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage grossed just over $346 million dollars upon releasing in theaters last Winter, is expected to return for xXx4. Rights to the franchise were officially bought and acquired by the H Collective back in April. Production was last reported to start this December, although further updates in terms of casting news should confirm if this remains solid by then.
Featured photo: Getty
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