Huayi Brothers Media Group, one of China's leading film production companies, has forecasted annual net profits for 2012 of between 243.47 million yuan ($39.15 million) and 273.91 million yuan, a rise of 20-35 percent year-on-year.

The company generated an estimated total box office revenue on the Chinese mainland of about 2.1 billion yuan, a record for a domestic private film production company in a year, according to the forecast.

The company attributed the growth to an expansion of its core businesses, including movie production, and television series making, and significant investment gains.

Last year, Huayi Brothers released seven movies, including Painted Skin: The Resurrection, Feng Xiaogang's Back to 1942 and Jackie Chan's Chinese Zodiac 12.

To date, Chinese Zodiac 12 generated more than 865 million yuan in ticket sales on the Chinese mainland, and it is expected to be shown in at least 26 countries and regions.

Ourpalm Co Ltd, an online game developer and operator, in which Huayi Brothers has invested, listed on the Growth Enterprise Market in Shenzhen Stock Exchange in May last year.

huangying@chinadaily.com.cn