Huayi Brothers

Credits

Descriptions by
Thisisanswer

Editions by
Prodigy012

Background

Huayi Brothers Media Corporation was started in 1994 by brothers Wang Zhongjun (Dennis Wang) and Wang Zhonglei, and overtime became one of the biggest studios in China. In 2011, it attempted to launch a joint venture with Legendary Pictures called Legendary East, but it fell through the following year (Legendary ended up partnering with China Film Group in 2013 instead, and would be acquired by Wanda Group in 2016). Huayi Brothers would partner with the then new STX Entertainment in 2015.

1st Logo (September 15, 2006-February 28, 2007)

Visuals: On a sun lit sky at the ocean with waves slowly moving, there is a white fenghuang flying around. As it arches over the sun, it creates a ring of stars and in between the stars, a rectangle with the words "H. Brothers" cutted out and "Beijing" and "Circa 1994" are seen above and below the rectangle. The sky is also reflected in the rectangle. The dragon flies off and Chinese characters appear below. The logo fades out except for the Chinese characters, which fade out later.

Variant: On The Matrimony, the logo starts in vintage, sepia-toned effect until turning it clearer to a original one. Also, the background fades in shortly rather than fading into black and the Chinese characters.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A calming music piece, none, or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Only seen on The Banquet (2006) and The Matrimony (2007).

2nd Logo (December 20, 2007)

Visuals: In a white city, a drop of red liquid splashes into a river of it. The logo then fades to a pan shot of the river flooding the city, which then rotates and goes into a screen-shaped space of it, which then glows. The camera pans out to see the full glowing text of "HY. BROTHERS" and it rises from the spaces. The city disappears and Chinese characters wipe in as the "O" gains a shadow.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The sound of fluid running ending with a Chinese flute tune and a whoosh during the end.

Availability: Only seen on Assembly (2007).

3rd Logo (December 18, 2008-February 14, 2012)

Visuals: In the sky, the camera glides across a field of clouds. Then, a tower of clouds rises up and the top starts to turn orange. The top then separates and then blows away to reveal the Huayi Brothers logo, though in silver and now styled as "H. BROTHERS" and Chinese characters.

Variants:

• A filmed variant exists.
• On Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, an another filmed variant is seen with differences: the clouds and the blue sky is reddish toned.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: A calming Chinese music piece.

Availability: Seen on some movies during the era like If You Are the One, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, Hot Summer Days and Love.

4th Logo (December 12, 2012-)

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Visuals: The camera pans up from a bunch of golden gears and silver parts. The silver part rotates to reveal a bunch more gears and a "H"-shaped gate, covered in many symbols and has a lion head in the middle. It then becomes more solid by moving parts and moves closer. The lion head moves up and then some more parts move before finally opening up. When the gate opens, it reveals Chinese characters and the text "H. BROTHERS" spreading a bit and shining. The gate fades out, leaving the text.

Variants:

• For their 20th anniversary, after the logo fades out, a golden "0" forms with the company name inside it. A golden "2" fades beside it.
• A short version exists starting with the gate opening. This is seen on CZ12/Chinese Zodiac, Rock Dog, and some STX films (e.g. Peppermint). A less short version which starts a bit earlier can also be spotted in some films including the Chinese release of Warcraft.
• On Moonfall (2022), the logo is in B&W static and alternates between the opening of the movie, which is the Apollo 11's launch in the same effect as the Lionsgate, UK Moonfall LLP, Centropolis and AGC Studios logos.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The sound of gears turning and things moving and opening. Sometimes (like on Peppermint), the opening theme is used.

Availability: Seen on many films during the time such as CZ12, Bad Moms, Peppermint and Moonfall. With the 5th and 6th logos being introduced, this logo's days could be numbered.

5th Logo (April 8, 2016-)

Visuals: On a space background, a yellow light shines and dims out to reveal the same text as the previous logo (both in English and Chinese).

Technique: CGI.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the movie.

Audio Variant: Beginning with Mile 22, the sound of the light is added.

Availability: It debuted on Hardcore Henry and later seen on some movies such as The Happytime Murders, Molly's Game and 21 Bridges, among others.

6th Logo (July 8, 2016-)

Visuals: On a white background, a 2D red ball bounces as it transforms into the dot in "H.BROTHERS". The Chinese name fades in below. Then, the screen cuts to the same white background as the same wordmark forms on the left side of a red upside-down T-shape. On the other side, "ENTERTAINMENT" appears in red in a thin font.

Technique: 2D animation possibly done in Flash.

Audio: Transformers-like sound effects or the opening theme of the movie.

Availability: It was first seen on Rock Dog (as a still variant), then made its animated debut on non-Netflix prints of Extinct.

◄ Taihe Film

Huayi Brothers