Film heroes descend on Beijing

Johnny Depp arrives in Beijing to promote film 'Transcendence'

Hollywood stars promote 'Captain America'

Johnny Depp came to Beijing on Monday to promote Transcendence, a cooperation between Warner Brothers, Alcon Entertainment and Beijing-based DMG Entertainment, which will premiere on April 18.

He could "live here easily", the 51-year star said at a news conference. "It is a warm experience."

Chris Evans, who impersonates Captain America in the two films based on the comic book hero, arrived in Beijing for the first time on March 24 to promote Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The film is to be released on April 4 simultaneously in China and the United States.

Also on their first trip to Beijing were Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson, who were overwhelmed by the more than 1,000 fans waiting for them in Sanlitun Village, an upmarket shopping area in eastern Beijing. The meet-the-fans event was part of the film's promotion tour, the only stop in Asia. They also had a news conference and did face-to-face interviews with local journalists.

"Two years ago, it was still Tokyo," says Kerwin Lo with the Walt Disney studios.

"If the crew had extra time and traffic was OK, they would come to China as an extra stop, but now Beijing is definitely a priority in such tours."

His point was strengthened the next day when the city hosted another Hollywood blockbuster's cast and crew.

Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx met Chinese media and fans to promote Amazing Spider-Man 2, to be released on May 4.