It looks like China’s tentative restriction on Hollywood films being released in its cinemas is coming to a premature end.
In the face of a 28% decrease in box office totals after restricting foreign releases for the past six weeks, China has officially set release dates for a number of major American productions including Sony’s Venom and the DCEU’s Aquaman.
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The Sony film, which currently stands as the high-earning film in the world for the second weekend in a row, will open in China on November 8, a full month after its domestic release. Aquaman will actually open in China exactly two weeks earlier than the United States with its release date set for December 7.
In an effort to encourage Chinese audiences to support locally-produced films rather than foreign releases, the Chinese government had restricted the amount of Hollywood films given wide releases and limited the theatrical release windows. In the face of sharp declines, China has provisionally granted several high-profile Hollywood films with release dates; Venom will only have a wide release in China for 12 days.
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Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Venom stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate,Woody Harrelson, Sope Aluko, Scott Deckert, Marcella Bragio, and Michelle Lee. It is out in theaters now.
Directed by James Wan, Aquaman stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, and Dolph Lundgren. The film opens on December 21.
(via The Wrap)