Three directors of the epic “Cloud Atlas” announced they will attend the film’s Chinese premiere in Beijing, hoping to get a more positive response with Chinese audiences as the film has so far bombed elsewhere.

“Cloud Atlas,” a 2012 German sci-fi drama, was directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski, creators of “The Matrix” trilogy, and Tom Tykwer, director of “Run Lola Run.” It is reported the three directors have sent invitations to the star-studded cast including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Hugh Grant, hoping to join forces with them at the Beijing premiere on Jan. 20.

It’s rare for three big directors to jointly direct one film. Due to their individually hectic schedules, they have only appeared together a handful of times for the film’s promotion. But the Wachowski siblings have been paying attention to the Chinese market. “China is an extremely large market and has been obtaining more and more shares on the global market. ‘Cloud Atlas’ contains plenty of Chinese elements, so Chinese audiences are the people par excellence to examine their contents.”

While Hollywood veterans like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry played multiple major roles in the film, Chinese actress Zhou Xun also took on three small parts in the film.

The film premiered on September 9, 2012, at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival and was widely released on October 26, 2012. The film’s budget eventually reached a massive US$102 million — a sum to which a Chinese company also contributed. — making “Cloud Atlas” one of the most expensive independent films of all time.

Source: https://www.china.org.cn/arts/2013-01/16/content_27705797.htm

*Side note: I read the book over a weekend, I can’t wait for the movie :^)