The new venture was expected to develop and produce original Chinese animated and live-action content for distribution within China and worldwide.

Oriental DreamWorks, owned 45% by DWA and 55% by the Chinese partners,[4] launched on August 6, 2012,[1] with cash and intellectual capital worth $350 million.

[10] On March 15, 2017, it was reported that NBCUniversal would sell off its stake in Oriental DreamWorks for restructuring and possibly face problems with Chinese antitrust investigation.

[15] On February 1, 2018, CMC Capital Partners announced that they have taken the full ownership of Oriental DreamWorks and renamed it as Pearl Studio.

Built in Shanghai with an investment exceeding $2.7 billion,[5] it would feature series of theatres, cinemas, shopping areas, galleries, hotels, restaurants and the world's largest IMAX screen, and was expected to open in 2017 (it was eventually delayed).