CALIFORNIA: The Chinese government has granted final approval for Paradise Warner Cinema City. 
This is Warner Bros International Cinemas' multiplex theatre in Shanghai, a joint venture with the Shanghai Paradise Co and Hong Kong's Broadband Investment Limited.
The opening took place a few days ago with The Matrix Reloaded. The 1490-seat, nine-screen Paradise Warner Cinema City multiplex theatre will prominently feature the Warner Bros Cinemas logo as a design element and such internationally recognised icons as the Studio's animated characters. An official release informs that this marks the first time that a major US theatrical company has been allowed to extensively brand an in-country venue in China.
Warner Bros Entertainment president and COO Alan Horn says, "Our goal is to bring the ultimate movie-going experience to the Chinese audience with a state-of-the-art facility and the finest American and 'in-country' films".
For Warner Bros, this builds on the relationship with China. It recently become actively involved in Chinese-language film production. In December 2002, Warner Bros Pictures announced its first-ever Chinese-language film Turn Left, Turn Right written and directed by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai, one of Hong Kong's leading writing and directing teams.
Also late last year, Warner Bros. Studios entered into an agreement with People's Republic of China-based production company Century Heroes and a Hong Kong-based partner, Salon Films, for the joint development, production and distribution of Swordsmen of the Passes. This is a slate of 10 Mandarin-language made-for-television movies shot in high-definition digital video.