Whatever is going on in the Middle Kingdom, it’s a reversal of every trend we’ve watched for the last few years. Beijing is allowing Avatar to stay at the box office for longer than anticipated.
In a shocking turn of events, Avatar: The Way of Water has received an extension to its release window for the Chinese market. Instead of ending its run on January 15, the film will now be taken out of Chinese theaters 30 days later. This is especially notable as the weeklong Chinese New Year celebration starts on January 22.
China is a notoriously stingy country when it comes to releasing Western films to Chinese audiences. Only a handful of American films are allowed every year, with major tentpoles being denied entry for reasons that might mystify the American entertainment industry. Many thought that Space Jam 2, with its forgettable actual subtitle was on track to be released in China when the film’s lead LeBron James spoke in support of The Communist Chinese Party’s actions in Hong Kong, but the film did not get a Chinese release. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a movie that seemed tailor-made for China (from a Western persepective), but did not earn a Chinese release, possibly due to comments made by the film’s star back in 2017, calling China a “third world” country. It is notable that Simi Liu’s family fled China for North America.
Ghostbusters (2016), later subtitled “Answer The Call,” was denied a Chinese release because Chinese audiences do not relate to or understand the Western concept of ghosts. (Footnote: This is also why Hong Kong Disneyland has Mystic Manor instead of another Haunted Mansion). The ninth Fast and the Furious film was in danger of having their Chinese release cancelled when professional wrestler-turned-actor John Cena announced that “Taiwan will be the first country that can watch F9.” Cena later apologized in Mandarin to the people and government of China for his mistake regarding Taiwan, a country that China considers to be part of China.
According to translations, Cena stated that is was “so so so so so important” to point out that he was “so so sorry for his mistake” and that “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m very sorry… I’m sorry” for the mistake. Apparently, the apology was effective since F9 did take in $215 million from its release in China.
In 2018, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh film Christopher Robin was denied a release in China. While the film itself is squeaky clean, it’s theorized that the film was denied release due to a Chinese resistance meme comparing the appearance of Xi Jingping, leader of the Chinese Communist Party, to that of the “willy nilly silly old bear” on an endless search for more honey.
Especially as tensions among nations rise, it is more difficult for American films to be released in China, let alone find success, but Avatar 2 has already made more than $200 million in China with audience scores coming in very high. Something about Avatar 2 is resonating with the Chinese people in order for James Cameron’s special effects spectacular to be given this unprecedented allowance to infringe on the Chinese New Year. The number of screens showing Avatar 2 will no doubt be lowered, but every dollar counts in the quest for Avatar to maintain it’s box office legacy.
For more coverage on Avatar 2’s box office run and it’s importance to the film industry at large, follow That Park Place here, on Twitter, and on YouTube. We have no doubt that our own Valliant Renegade will be covering this in-depth on his YouTube channel.
