Tencent, 20th Century Fox form reel venture

Technology giant Tencent Holdings Ltd and United States-based film studio 20th Century Fox Film Corp have decided to join hands to explore new ways of film marketing in China.

The deal, inked on Thursday, is expected to transform Tencent's instant messaging site QQ into a better platform for film promotions. Under the agreement, the two sides will explore new avenues in copyright cooperation and embedded marketing.

20th Century Fox, for instance, will grant copyrights of some of its films to QQ, whose users would be able to download or buy movie-themed virtual items, such as emoticons and animations.