David U. Lee
David U. Lee is a Chinese-American Hollywood film producer and entrepreneur best known for co-producing the films The Forbidden Kingdom, Shanghai, and Inseparable. He is the president of the film entertainment company Leeding Media, which he founded in 2008.
Early life and career
David U. Lee was born in
In 2007, Lee was recruited by Harvey Weinstein to become the Executive Vice President of Asian Operations at The Weinstein Company, where he oversaw the company's Asian business as well as its US$285 million Asian Film Fund.
Film producer
In 2007, Lee co-founded SDJS/Havenwood Media and produced
In April 2008, Lee founded Leeding Media as a film entertainment enterprise dedicated to bridging the U.S. and Chinese film industries. He produced Inseparable starring Kevin Spacey.[4] The company also orchestrated the nationwide release of The Spy Next Door, starring Jackie Chan, the only non-studio foreign film released in China at the same day and date as in the U.S. Grossing over US$8 million, it became the highest grossing non-studio foreign film in Chinese history until the release of Sylvester Stallone's Expendables.[5][6]
In 2009, Lee advised China Film Group on the co-production of The Karate Kid remake, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, with Sony Pictures Entertainment. He also served as co-executive producer of The Weinstein Company's first Asian Film Fund production Shanghai, starring John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow Yun-fat and Ken Watanabe.[7]
In September 2011, Perfect World Pictures signed Leeding Media into a multi-year producing deal, making the company the first U.S.-based production company to secure a multi-year term deal with a Chinese studio. Films released under the collaboration include Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, starring Nicolas Cage (grossed US$9 million); The Last Stand, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger (grossed US$8 million); and Ender’s Game, starring Harrison Ford (grossed US$23 million).
Awards and recognitions
In March 2009, David was named an inaugural member of The Hollywood Reporter's Next Generation Asia, which celebrates the 20 most impressive young men and women in entertainment in Asia.
Filmography
Producer
Distributor (China)
- Potsdamer Platz (????)
- Insurgent (2015)
- John Wick (2014)
- Divergent (2014)
- Ender's Game (2013)
- Parker (2013)
- Last Stand (2013)
- Rush (2013)
- Riddick (2013)
- Hours (2013)
- The Longest Week (2012)
- LOL (2012)
- Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)
- Blitz (2012)
- 50/50 (2011)
- Machine Gun Preacher (2011)
- Alpha and Omega (2011)
- Brothers (2011)
- 20 Funerals (2011)
- More Than a game (2010)
- The Spy Next Door (2010)
References
External links
- David U. Lee at IMDb
ARTICLES
- Alibaba Is Going Hollywood July, 2014
- Bloomberg Piece on Hollywood vs China's Censorship July, 2011
- LA Times Article, July 3, 2011
- International Film Finance Forum - Singapore 2011
- International Film Finance Forum - Cannes 2011
- Screen Daily Article, February 17, 2011
- San Jose Mercury News Article, November 16, 2010
- China Daily Article, March 25, 2009
VIDEOS
- CCTV Culture Express, Tudou, English
- CCTV Culture Express, Youtube, English
- Bloomberg Interview, English
- Reuters Interview, English
- EBC News Interview, Chinese
- ERA News Interview, Chinese
- Hello! Hollywood Interview, Chinese
- CNBC, February 16, 2012
- USC Trojan Family Magazine, Spring 2012
- China Daily, April 23, 2012