According to latest figures from Hong Kong Box Office, top performing local film for the first half of the year, The Way We Talk <看我今天怎麼說> raked in 13.55 million, paling in comparison to international films Ne Zha 2 <哪吒之魔童鬧海> which took 63.91 million, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’s <職業特工隊︰最終清算> 52.2 million and Lilo and Stitch‘s <史迪仔> 29.12 million.
Known for playing Stephen Chow‘s (周星馳) wacky sidekick onscreen, veteran film producer Tin Kai-man (田啟文) recently discussed the development of Hong Kong cinema.
Netflix’s Quota for Asian Content Investment
When asked whether streaming giants like Netflix, known for splashing out big budgets in recent years, might invest in Hong Kong productions, Tin replied, “It’s not like we haven’t tried talking to them… but they find us annoying. Annoying, you know? So many concerns, so many people giving their opinions – people who aren’t filmmakers or even audience members, yet still feel entitled to speak up…So the platforms go, ‘Sigh, forget it.’ Look at that Nicole Kidman series filmed in Hong Kong; it didn’t even release here. Why bother? It’s that simple,”
Tin further revealed that Netflix allocates 10 slots each year for investing in Asian content, with six going to South Korea, and the remaining four divided among Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and others.
However, he acknowledged that investment from streaming platforms can significantly elevate the quality of a region’s film and television output. “When you have capital and a market, of course the quality will improve. In Hong Kong, if we made more productions, even someone who usually doesn’t get lead roles could become a lead. Everything can be honed through practice.”
Out of a total of 140 films premiered in Hong Kong and Macau cinemas in the first half of 2025, only 21 were Hong Kong productions. The combined box office revenue from both local and international films also declined about 16.26%, compared to the same period last year.
Source: 1
