The New York Times article on January 23, original title: Why China has lost interest in Hollywood movies In Hollywood, it is not just the producers of " Aquaman " who found that China has become a "lost kingdom." In 2023, despite the highly anticipated sequels of series such as "Mission: Impossible," "The Fast and the Furious" and "Spider-Man," no American film ranked among the top ten at the Chinese box office. According to data from Chinese entertainment data provider Maoyan, last year's two most popular Hollywood films, " Oppenheim" and "Barbie," were not among the top 30 at the Chinese box office.
Chinese moviegoers who once flocked to watch Hollywood movies are slowly disappearing. Currently, China is the world's largest film market outside the United States, and it is also where American film companies rely for growth and profitability. "Gone are the days when a Hollywood movie could make hundreds of millions of dollars in China," said Stanley Rosen, a professor at the University of Southern California.
China’s film industry is producing more high-quality films that resonate with domestic audiences. Last year, the top two films at the Chinese box office highlighted the diversity of domestic films: "Manjianghong " is a dialogue-rich suspense comedy, while " The Wandering Earth 2" is a science fiction blockbuster full of special effects.
In recent years, some of the highest-grossing Chinese films have emphasized the theme of China becoming stronger and more confident. So far, the two highest-grossing Chinese films are "Changjin Lake" released in 2021 and "Wolf Warrior 2" released in 2017. Ishikawa, vice chairman of the Shanghai Filmmakers Association, said many American film companies once viewed China as a market that could always make money. But that is no longer the case. He said, "Now I want to tell American film companies that this mentality will not work anymore. You have to study deeply to understand the Chinese market, Chinese audiences and Chinese pop culture."
Hollywood's "love affair" with China can be traced back to several years ago . Seven of the top 10 highest-grossing films in China in 2012 were American films. And as U.S.-China trade and diplomatic tensions rise, Hollywood is caught in the middle. Over the past year, Hollywood executives have determined that China's demand for American films has changed so dramatically that movie budgets must be recalibrated.
27-year-old Hannah Li works at a technology company in Beijing. She used to only watch foreign movies, but she said that has changed recently. She said that her favorite movie last year was "The Wandering Earth 2". She said the film promotes a collectivism that she rarely sees in Hollywood films and that should send a signal to American studios. "If you are still self-righteous and don't want to see what we like, then you will naturally be left out, and Hollywood movies can no longer bring freshness to Chinese audiences." (Author Claire Fu et al., translated by Wang Huicong) ▲
