Huayi Brothers' new big releases boast veteran directors and filmmakers, such as Tsui Hark (third left in front), Feng Xiaogang (fourth left in back row) and Win Animation's head Joe Aguilar (second right in front). [Photo provided to China Daily]

Meanwhile, ever since Monkey King: Hero Is Back became the highest-grossing domestic animated film of all time last summer, there has been a revival of interest in the genre among some of China's leading studios.

In October, Enlight Media set up Coloroom Pictures, which has invested money in 13 independent animation studios to produce 22 movies.

Separately, Huayi Brothers is also working on hiring Hollywood screenwriters to develop stories for Chinese comedy films.

Feng Xiaogang, the man behind a series of hit comedies, also says he is seeking writers from the United States for two comedy dramas, Cell Phone 2 and Marriage Lab.

Feng set up a film studio Dongyang Meila last September and 70 percent of the stakes in it was acquired by Huayi Brothers two months later.

Feng says Cell Phone 2, a sequel to his 2003 box-office hit Cell Phone, will dwell on a frequently asked question－whether machines and technology can dominate humankind.

"I believe it (the film) will be a comedy and a horror show.

"After speaking to Hollywood screenwriters, I believe they can create an appealing story."

China grossed a record box-office revenue of 44 billion yuan ($6.7 billion) last year, up 48 percent year-on-year, but only 2.7 billion yuan of this came from overseas markets.