China’s Huayi Brothers is planning to sign an 18-picture, three-year deal with an unnamed US company, according to a filing with the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Without naming the company, the filing says that Huayi Brothers’ US division will co-finance, produce and distribute 18 films over the three years of the deal. The US division was established in Los Angeles last year with financing of $130m.

Huayi Brothers will retain Greater China rights to the slate in addition to a share of global revenues.

“This is not only a step for Huayi Brothers’ internationalisation, but also the internationalisation of all Chinese film companies,” the filing said.

It’s understood that the US partner is not one of the six major US studios or indie powerhouse IM Global, which handles international distribution of Huayi Brothers titles.

Huayi Brothers has previously worked with Sony, Relativity Media and QED International and was in talks to finance Jeff Robinov’s Studio 8 before Shanghai-based Fosun International stepped in with $200m in financing for the start-up studio.

At the time, Huayi Brothers said it would still be involved in Studio 8 “in a distribution capacity”.

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