More nihao from Hollywood

A scene from The Battle of Five Armies. Photo provided to China Daily

British actor Richard Armitage, sitting next to the director, also seems eager to show his knowledge of Chinese culture.

When asked if his role of Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Dwarves, has something in personality as same as him, the 44-year-old actor responds with "pigheaded" and makes it clear that it's a pun as he was born in 1971, the Year of Pig in the Chinese zodiac.

"The mythology and history of China is so vast. And it would be a gift for writers," chimes in screenwriter Philippa Boyens, adding that she would love to work on a script based on Chinese legends.

"But I don't know if I can do as well as Chinese native storytellers," adds the low-profile writer.

Last year, China's box-office revenue surged 36 percent, totaling 29.6 billion yuan ($ 4.8 billion), while Hollywood saw the lowest attendance in the past twenty years.

More and more Hollywood A-list stars flock to China to make promotional tours, and some even choose Beijing or Shanghai as their only promotional stop in Asia－unthinkable a decade ago.

Insiders say most of them keep low profiles and only a few of them require high-budget receptions.