{{Short description|Hong Kong media production company}} {{Multiple issues| {{outdated|reason=Some of the channels not longer operated or replaced with another channels|date=March 2024}} {{more footnotes|date=April 2012}} {{More citations needed|date=September 2024}} }} {{Infobox company | | name = Celestial Pictures Limited | logo = | foundation = {{start date and age|2000}} | location_city = [[Hong Kong]] | location_country = [[Hong Kong]] | key_people = | industry = Entertainment | products = | owner = [[Astro Malaysia Holdings|Astro Overseas Limited]] | subsid = [[Celestial Tiger Entertainment]] (JV) | num_employees = | revenue = | homepage = [http://www.celestialpictures.com/ www.celestialpictures.com] }}
'''Celestial Pictures''' is an entertainment-based company focused on [[Asian languages|Asian-language]] [[film]] and content, encompassing production's, aggregation, distribution, and [[Television channel|TV channels]]. It is headquartered in [[Hong Kong]] and owned by '''Astro Overseas Limited'''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Silvia |title=Astro poised to enter China Pay-TV market |url=https://www.screendaily.com/astro-poised-to-enter-china-pay-tv-market/4017980.article |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Film Promotion and Facilitation Section - Production Directory |url=https://fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/production_directory/detail.php?id=1233# |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lionsgate |title=Celestial Pictures Limited, Saban Capital Group and Lionsgate Partner to Form Celestial Tiger Entertainment |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celestial-pictures-limited-saban-capital-group-and-lionsgate-partner-to-form-celestial-tiger-entertainment-136026713.html |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>
Celestial Pictures owns the [[Celestial's Shaw Brothers Film Library|Shaw Brothers Film Library]], which is one of the world's largest collections of Chinese film. The library comprises over 760 feature films, including [[Five Deadly Venoms|The Five Venoms]], Hex, [[The 36th Chamber of Shaolin]], [[The One-Armed Swordsman|One-Armed Swordsman]], [[King Boxer]], and The Flying Guillotine. These films have been digitally restored for global distribution.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010 |title=Celestial Pictures 天映娛樂 |url=http://www.celestialpictures.com/company.asp |access-date=October 4, 2024 |website=Celestial Pictures 天映娛樂}}</ref>
==History== The company purchased the Shaw Brothers film library in 2000<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lopez |first=Leslie |date=March 16, 2000 |title=Shaw Brothers Is Poised To Sell Its Film Library |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB953143639104619604 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130220637/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB953143639104619604 |archive-date=30 November 2020 |access-date=7 July 2024|work=The Wall Street Journal |pages=1}}</ref> when it was then called "East Asia Filmed Entertainment Ltd" and owned by the Malaysian media group [[Astro Holdings Sdn Bhd]]. Astro Holdings were in turn controlled by [[Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd|Usaha Tegas Sdn. Bhd.]], a Malaysian investment holding company.
In 2001, under the Chinese name '''{{lang|zh|星藝映畫}}''', the company produced two films: [[Comic King]] ({{lang|zh|漫畫風雲}}) and Stowaway ({{lang|zh|驚天大逃亡}}). It took up the current Chinese name {{lang|zh|天映娛樂}} in 2002.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}
Celestial's television channel operations include [[Celestial Movies]], [[Celestial Movies#Celestial Classic Movies|Celestial Classic Movies]], and [[WATV (AM)|WATA]], a Chinese [[infotainment]] channel. Additionally, [[Shaw Bros.]] movies distributed by Celestial are shown in America on [[El Rey Network]] as part of its "Flying Five Finger One Armed Eight Pole Shaolin Exploding Death Touch Tuesdays" block.
==References== {{Reflist}} * All The Content (2008), All The Content, ''Celestial Pictures to offer Mobile Content in Europe Inks Agreement with AllTheContent to Distribute Kung Fu Clips'', retrieved on June 17, 2009, [https://web.archive.org/web/20081211073433/http://www.allthecontent.com/news/celestial-pictures-to-offer-mobile-content-in-europe-inks-agreement-with-allthecontent-to-distribute-kung-fu-clips.html http://www.allthecontent.com/news/celestial-pictures-to-offer-mobile-content-in-europe-inks-agreement-with-allthecontent-to-distribute-kung-fu-clips.html] * Hong Kong Cinema (2009), Hong Kong Cinema - Shaw Brothers News - Celestial, retrieved on June 17, 2009, [http://www.hkcinema.co.uk/Articles/shawbronewsq12002.html http://www.hkcinema.co.uk/Articles/shawbronewsq12002.html] * Information Services Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, ''Celestial Pictures Limited donates film library to HK Film Archive (with photos)'', retrieved June 17, 2009, [http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200904/30/P200904300175.htm http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200904/30/P200904300175.htm] * Mark Pollard, Kung Fu Cinema (2009), Celestial Pictures: Kung Fu Cinema, retrieved on June 17, 2009, [https://archive.today/20130127064647/http://www.kungfucinema.com/tag/celestial-pictures http://www.kungfucinema.com/tag/celestial-pictures] * Mark Pollard, Kung Fu Cinema (2009), Celestial Pictures: Kung Fu Cinema, ''Celestial donates Shaw library to HK Film Archive'', retrieved on June 17, 2009, [https://archive.today/20110524225422/http://www.kungfucinema.com/celestial-donates-shaw-library-to-hk-film-archive-6972 http://www.kungfucinema.com/celestial-donates-shaw-library-to-hk-film-archive-6972] * Mark Pollard, Kung Fu Cinema (2009), Celestial Pictures: Kung Fu Cinema, ''Shaw films leave U.S. and head to Russia'', retrieved on June 17, 2009, [https://archive.today/20090304164944/http://www.kungfucinema.com/shaw-films-pack-up-in-us-and-head-to-russia-4361 http://www.kungfucinema.com/shaw-films-pack-up-in-us-and-head-to-russia-4361] * {{cite web |last1=Frater |first1=Patrick |title=Celestial films legal in Internet cafes |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/asia/celestial-films-legal-in-internet-cafes-1117989974/ |website=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209070122/https://variety.com/2008/film/asia/celestial-films-legal-in-internet-cafes-1117989974/ |archive-date=2019-12-09 |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=August 2, 2008}} * {{cite web |last1=Frater |first1=Patrick |title=Celestial signs trio of video deals |url=https://variety.com/2008/digital/asia/celestial-signs-trio-of-video-deals-1117990512/ |website=Variety |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=August 14, 2008}} * {{cite web |last1=Frater |first1=Patrick |title=Celestial's 'Yellow' set for Blu-Ray |url=https://variety.com/2008/digital/asia/celestial-s-yellow-set-for-blu-ray-1117982495/ |website=Variety |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=March 16, 2008}} * {{cite web |last1=Frater |first1=Patrick |title=Now TV adds two Celestial channels |url=https://variety.com/2008/tv/asia/now-tv-adds-two-celestial-channels-1117983888/ |website=Variety |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=April 11, 2008}} * {{cite web |last1=Rothrock |first1=Vicki |title=Celestial boosts distribution business |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/news/celestial-boosts-distribution-business-1117963128/ |website=Variety |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=April 15, 2007}} * {{cite web |last1=Lim |first1=Marcus |title=Viasat takes Shaw Bros. classics |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/viasat-takes-shaw-bros-classics-1117998013/ |website=Variety |accessdate=December 9, 2019 |date=January 6, 2009}} * Screen International (2007), Screen International, ''Celestial Pictures launches kung-fu mobile TV channel'', retrieved on June 17, 2009, [http://www.screendaily.com/celestial-pictures-launches-kung-fu-mobile-tv-channel/4033356.article http://www.screendaily.com/celestial-pictures-launches-kung-fu-mobile-tv-channel/4033356.article]
==External links== * [http://www.celestialpictures.com Celestial Pictures website] * [http://www.celestialmovies.com Celestial Movies website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120314233459/http://www.celestialtiger.com/index.asp Celestial Tiger Entertainment website]
{{Astro Holdings Sdn Bhd}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Astro Malaysia Holdings]] [[Category:Film production companies of Hong Kong]] [[Category:Television production companies]] [[Category:Mass media companies established in 2000]] [[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2011]]