# Celestial Pictures

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Hong Kong media production company

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Celestial Pictures Limited Industry Entertainment Owner Astro Overseas Limited

**Celestial Pictures** is an entertainment-based company focused on [Asian-language](/source/Asian_languages) [film](/source/Film) and content, encompassing production's, aggregation, distribution, and [TV channels](/source/Television_channel). It is headquartered in [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) and owned by **Astro Overseas Limited**.[1][2][3]

Celestial Pictures owns the [Shaw Brothers Film Library](/source/Celestial's_Shaw_Brothers_Film_Library), which is one of the world's largest collections of Chinese film. The library comprises over 760 feature films, including [The Five Venoms](/source/Five_Deadly_Venoms), Hex, [The 36th Chamber of Shaolin](/source/The_36th_Chamber_of_Shaolin), [One-Armed Swordsman](/source/The_One-Armed_Swordsman), [King Boxer](/source/King_Boxer), and The Flying Guillotine. These films have been digitally restored for global distribution.[4]

## History

The company purchased the Shaw Brothers film library in 2000[5] when it was then called "East Asia Filmed Entertainment Ltd" and owned by the Malaysian media group [Astro Holdings Sdn Bhd](/source/Astro_Holdings_Sdn_Bhd). Astro Holdings were in turn controlled by [Usaha Tegas Sdn. Bhd.](/source/Usaha_Tegas_Sdn_Bhd), a Malaysian investment holding company.

In 2001, under the Chinese name **星藝映畫**, the company produced two films: [Comic King](/source/Comic_King) (漫畫風雲) and Stowaway (驚天大逃亡). It took up the current Chinese name 天映娛樂 in 2002.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Celestial's television channel operations include [Celestial Movies](/source/Celestial_Movies), [Celestial Classic Movies](/source/Celestial_Movies#Celestial_Classic_Movies), and [WATA](/source/WATV_(AM)), a Chinese [infotainment](/source/Infotainment) channel. Additionally, [Shaw Bros.](/source/Shaw_Bros.) movies distributed by Celestial are shown in America on [El Rey Network](/source/El_Rey_Network) as part of its "Flying Five Finger One Armed Eight Pole Shaolin Exploding Death Touch Tuesdays" block.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Wong, Silvia. ["Astro poised to enter China Pay-TV market"](https://www.screendaily.com/astro-poised-to-enter-china-pay-tv-market/4017980.article). *Screen*. Retrieved 2026-02-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Film Promotion and Facilitation Section - Production Directory"](https://fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk/en/production_directory/detail.php?id=1233#). *fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk*. Retrieved 2026-02-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Lionsgate. ["Celestial Pictures Limited, Saban Capital Group and Lionsgate Partner to Form Celestial Tiger Entertainment"](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celestial-pictures-limited-saban-capital-group-and-lionsgate-partner-to-form-celestial-tiger-entertainment-136026713.html). *www.prnewswire.com*. Retrieved 2026-02-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Celestial Pictures 天映娛樂"](http://www.celestialpictures.com/company.asp). *Celestial Pictures 天映娛樂*. 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Lopez, Leslie (March 16, 2000). ["Shaw Brothers Is Poised To Sell Its Film Library"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB953143639104619604). *The Wall Street Journal*. p. 1. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201130220637/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB953143639104619604) from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2024.

- 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, [http://www.allthecontent.com/news/celestial-pictures-to-offer-mobile-content-in-europe-inks-agreement-with-allthecontent-to-distribute-kung-fu-clips.html](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)

- 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, [http://www.kungfucinema.com/tag/celestial-pictures](https://archive.today/20130127064647/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, [http://www.kungfucinema.com/celestial-donates-shaw-library-to-hk-film-archive-6972](https://archive.today/20110524225422/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, [http://www.kungfucinema.com/shaw-films-pack-up-in-us-and-head-to-russia-4361](https://archive.today/20090304164944/http://www.kungfucinema.com/shaw-films-pack-up-in-us-and-head-to-russia-4361)

- Frater, Patrick (August 2, 2008). ["Celestial films legal in Internet cafes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191209070122/https://variety.com/2008/film/asia/celestial-films-legal-in-internet-cafes-1117989974/). *Variety*. Archived from [the original](https://variety.com/2008/film/asia/celestial-films-legal-in-internet-cafes-1117989974/) on 2019-12-09. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

- Frater, Patrick (August 14, 2008). ["Celestial signs trio of video deals"](https://variety.com/2008/digital/asia/celestial-signs-trio-of-video-deals-1117990512/). *Variety*. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

- Frater, Patrick (March 16, 2008). ["Celestial's 'Yellow' set for Blu-Ray"](https://variety.com/2008/digital/asia/celestial-s-yellow-set-for-blu-ray-1117982495/). *Variety*. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

- Frater, Patrick (April 11, 2008). ["Now TV adds two Celestial channels"](https://variety.com/2008/tv/asia/now-tv-adds-two-celestial-channels-1117983888/). *Variety*. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

- Rothrock, Vicki (April 15, 2007). ["Celestial boosts distribution business"](https://variety.com/2007/film/news/celestial-boosts-distribution-business-1117963128/). *Variety*. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

- Lim, Marcus (January 6, 2009). ["Viasat takes Shaw Bros. classics"](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/viasat-takes-shaw-bros-classics-1117998013/). *Variety*. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

- 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

- [Celestial Pictures website](http://www.celestialpictures.com)

- [Celestial Movies website](http://www.celestialmovies.com)

- [Celestial Tiger Entertainment website](https://web.archive.org/web/20120314233459/http://www.celestialtiger.com/index.asp)

v t e Astro Malaysia Holdings Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd Astro (Max B.yond NJOI) Astro Go Astro Audio Astro Shaw Digital Five Astro Overseas Limited A+E Networks Asia Celestial Pictures Airtime Marketing and Sales India Goal TV Asia Limited Fetch TV Defunct Kristal-Astro Annual revenue: RM 2,602 million (17% FY 2008) Employees: 3,961 (31 January 2008) Stock Symbol: MYX: 6399 Website: Astro Holdings Sdn Bhd

Authority control databases VIAF

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Celestial Pictures](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_Pictures) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestial_Pictures?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.