"[2] The Financial Times noted that Dalian Wanda was the "most aggressive" company in pursuing this strategy, pointing to its 2012 acquisition of American cinema chain AMC Theatres and 2013 purchase of British yachtmaker Sunseeker.

It noted that it was also "building theme parks across China, and has a joint venture with Tencent and Baidu to set up an e-commerce platform".

[16] As of 2016, Wanda owned approximately 6% of all commercial movie screens in China, and about 13% in the U.S.[16] The company made major changes in AMC theater design and layout, including generously sized reclining seats, waiter service, and expanded food and drink offerings.

AMC's value more than doubled in the 18 months following the acquisition, and by the end of 2014 Wanda reaped a reported profit of about US$900 million.

[12] In June 2013, Dalian Wanda acquired Sunseeker International, a British luxury yacht manufacturer used in the James Bond movies, for $500 million.

[18] In January 2015, Dalian Wanda purchased an office building in Sydney, Australia, from American alternative investment management firm Blackstone Group for around US$327 million.

[19] The company is "aggressively expanding overseas to move away from China's property market, which has been hit by a slowing economy".

[21] On January 11, 2016, Wanda Group acquired the American film production and mass media company Legendary Entertainment for $3.5 billion.

[24] In September 2016, Wanda announced a major partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, in which it would take minority investments in a number of upcoming releases.

[28][29] In May 2017, Wanda announced it would invest US$3.3 billion by 2024 in EuropaCity, a mega commercial real estate project near Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport that would boast of a theme park, attractions, cultural exhibitions, retail shops, outdoor sports venues and restaurants over about 200 acres.

Its other offshore real estate interests include a major development on the banks of London's River Thames and plans for an industrial park in India at a US$10 billion investment.

On July 14, 2017, it was reported that Wanda was selling a number of theme parks and hotels for US$9.3 billion to Chinese property developer Sunac.

[33] In September 2017, Wanda made a foray into the Chinese high-technology industry when it launched its technology start-up business accelerator project.

[38] On April 28, 2018, the Qingdao Movie Metropolis, a nearly RMB 50 billion industrial investment project, was completed after four years and seven months of construction.

[citation needed] In May 2018, Wanda, Tencent, and Gaopeng reached a mutual agreement to establish a collaborative internet technology initiative aimed at developing an innovative consumer model that seamlessly merges the realms of online and offline commerce.

"[12] Windfall profits following the IPO made founder Wang Jianlin worth more than $25 billion, effectively making him one of China's richest businessmen and investors.

[41] On January 20, 2015, it was reported that Wang Jianlin was buying a 20 percent stake in La Liga club Atlético Madrid.

In late February 2018, Wanda Group took control of Chinese Super League team Dalian Professional, though the decision was not officially announced.

[51] Wanda also signed Yannick Carrasco and Nicolas Gaitan from Atlético Madrid right after selling the club's shares.

After Wanda came under fire from Beijing regulators in 2017 over its aggressive overseas dealmaking, its local development partner on project One Beverly Hills walked away.

In September 2019, the IAAF announced in Doha that the Wanda Group would become the title partner of the Diamond League for ten years from 2020.

As part of this collaboration, Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company, has signed a five-year agreement with the IAAF and the Diamond League for the international media rights to the elite track and field circuit in 2025.