Vancouver-based Gener8 has landed a 3D conversion contract for The Grandmaster, marking the company’s entry into a Chinese film market hungry for three-dimensional entertainment.

“3D is massive in China – both from a TV perspective and from a film perspective,” Rory Armes, CEO with Gener8, told Playback Daily.

While the film was originally released in 2D in 2013, the filmmakers always intended for The Grandmaster to get a 3D treatment. Despite the popularity of 3D films in China, there are few companies that can complete the work, said Armes.

In addition to The Grandmaster contract, Gener8 is also working on a proposed partnership with the Chinese studio FFD to do 3D conversion work on a longer term basis.

“Not only can we help that studio grow…we also get an avenue into this massive growing Chinese film market,” Armes said. The partnership between FFD and Gener8 is expected to be finalized by the end of May.

The 3D conversion work on The Grandmaster will be completed using Gener8’s proprietary 3D conversion software.  The project is slated to be completed by Sept. 1, with a theatrical release of the 3D edition of The Grandmaster set for later this year.

The Grandmaster was directed by Wong Kar Wai and produced by Jet Tone Films and Annapurna Pictures, in coproduction with Bona Film Group.

The film was distributed in its original format in Canada by eOne in 2013.

– Handshake image courtesy of Shutterstock