Deals
Red Star Over Hollywood: ‘Dr. Evil’ Says China Wants Movies
- Lobbyist questions companies’ motives in U.S. takeovers
- ‘You will never see a Chinese villain in the movies’ again
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The billboard towers over Sunset Boulevard, a marionettist’s hand, a la “The Godfather” posters of decades ago, pulling the strings in Hollywood. It poses an unsettling question: “China’s Red Puppet?”
The sign is the work of Rick Berman, a lobbyist on a mission against -- as he has framed it -- “the communist takeover of our movies.” The target, in this instance, is Dalian Wanda Group Co., owner of the second-biggest U.S. cinema chain and Legendary Entertainment, co-producer of “The Hangover.” And whose founder, billionaire Wang Jianlin, will be in Los Angeles Monday to host an event in a city whose best-known industry has embraced him.