The 2024 Spring Festival is coming soon. This year’s Spring Festival is longer than in previous years and has attracted much attention from the film producers. However, controversy has already arisen before the Spring Festival.
was caused by rumors that many leading films during the Spring Festival this year will adopt a split-line distribution model. The film studios have put forward minimum film scheduling requirements for participating theaters. Cinemas that cannot meet the requirements will not receive the secret key and will not be able to release the film during the Spring Festival.
Many cinema managers confirmed the news in interviews with reporters. Does
force the lowest ranking?
The film schedule ratio refers to the number of times a movie is played in a theater, accounting for the proportion of the total number of screenings in the theater. The number of films scheduled is directly related to the box office of a movie. , especially during important periods such as the Spring Festival, the scheduling of films in the first two days is crucial.
Taking 2023 as an example, the seven-day box office during the Spring Festival period was 6.765 billion yuan, accounting for 12.3% of the total box office for the year of 54.927 billion yuan. The top two box office in 2023 also came from the Spring Festival period.
Source: Lighthouse Data
Notices issued by industry insiders on social platforms show that many Spring Festival films require scheduling on February 10, 2024 (the first day of the Lunar New Year) and February 11 (the second day of the Lunar New Year). The number of screenings shall not be less than 22% of the total number of screenings. Cinemas that do not meet the screening requirements will not be able to obtain the film key. If the movie studio that has obtained the secret key does not meet the film schedule, it will also stop issuing the secret key in the future.
There are other Spring Festival movies that have similar requirements, but the minimum scheduling requirements are different. A cinema manager told reporters that the minimum film scheduling requirements he learned are roughly that there are three films that require a minimum of 22%, two films that require a minimum of 12%, and one that requires a minimum of 10%.
In the past, theaters had the autonomy to schedule films. At the beginning of the release of , theaters usually schedule films based on film quality, characteristics, etc.; after the release, they will adjust the film schedule based on specific box office performance, audience reputation, etc., which is a completely market-oriented mechanism.
Mandating a minimum number of movies in the two days before the Spring Festival, which undoubtedly broke this principle and caused dissatisfaction among theater managers:
"In a schedule like the Spring Festival, we must arrange more movies for whatever the audience wants to see, and all require minimum Scheduling films is difficult to satisfy, and the risk is also borne by the cinema." A cinema manager in southwest China told reporters.
Two associations: Do a good job in arranging reasonable films for the Spring Festival
The controversy over the arrangement of films for the Spring Festival has alarmed two industry associations.
html On the afternoon of January 30, the China Film Distribution and Exhibition Association issued a document stating that in order to maintain a fair competitive environment in the market, promote the high-quality development of Chinese films, and enrich and meet the people’s movie-watching needs during the Spring Festival, in the afternoon of the same day, Chinese film producers The association, the China Film Distribution and Exhibition Association, and representatives from eight investors and producers of Spring Festival films held a symposium on the distribution and screening of Spring Festival films.
Everyone agrees that no unit or organization can take advantage of its market dominance to interfere in market operations, including movie scheduling, and make restrictive arrangements for the legitimate business activities of various market entities.
8 movies have been scheduled for the Spring Festival
Maoyan data shows that as of February 8, has 8 movies scheduled for the Spring Festival, which is basically the same as the number of Spring Festival movies in previous years. All 8 movies will be released on February 10 .
At present, the most popular film on the Lighthouse and Maoyan platforms is "Flying Life 2" directed by Han Han and starring Shen Teng and Yin Zheng. This film is the sequel to "Flying Life" and is also a comedy film. "Flying Life" was released during the 2019 Spring Festival and earned more than 1.7 billion yuan at the box office.
Jia Ling directed the comedy movie "Hot and Spicy" starring Jia Ling, Lei Jiayin , and Zhang Xiaofei. followed closely behind. With the box office of "Hello!" exceeding 5 billion yuan, Li Huanying" in front, people are looking forward to whether Jia Ling can achieve another great success with "Hot and Spicy".
Directed by Zhang Yimou, "Article 20" starring Lei Jiayin, Ma Li, Zhao Liying is temporarily ranked third, but it is not far behind the top two. "Article 20" is Zhang Yimou's third Spring Festival release. Among them, "Man Jiang Hong" defeated "The Wandering Earth 2" in the 2023 Spring Festival release and won the slot championship with a box office of over 2.6 billion.
Other films in this year’s Spring Festival include:
The annual Haunted Bear series of movies "The Haunted Bear: Reverse Time and Space" . As an animation with huge IP influence, the current cumulative box office of the "Bear Bears" series of animated films has exceeded 5.5 billion yuan.
" Mr. Red Carpet " directed by Ning Hao and starring Andy Lau. This is Ning Hao's new work as a creator after "Crazy Alien".
"Let's Shake the Sun Together" directed by Han Yan and starring Peng Yuchang and Li Gengxi. This is Han Yanji's "Get Out!" The final chapter of the "Life Trilogy" created after "Tumor King" and "Send You a Little Red Flower". This is also his first time to set foot in the Spring Festival.
"Bajie: The Lower Realm of Canopy" presents a brand new image of Zhu Bajie, mainly showing the bravery and warmth of Marshal Tianpeng.
"Huang Pi: The God of Wealth Cat Descends from Heaven" will be screened in Mandarin and Cantonese, telling the story of Huang Pi, the God of Wealth Cat, descending to earth to plant a money tree.
"Mr. Red Carpet"
may be at the bottom of the box office
On the evening of January 29, the Spring Festival movie "Mr. Red Carpet", which is rumored to have not participated in the mandatory minimum film schedule, issued a poster, proposing to "let the audience choose for themselves, and be quiet on New Year's Day" Watch a movie." This slogan is in line with the theme of the movie itself, and it is also suspected to be a response to the branch release incident.
Some viewers expressed their favorable opinion that this film does not follow the crowd, but some people pointed out that judging from the pre-sale data, the box office of "Mr. Red Carpet" is the least promising among these films.
Behind "Mr. Red Carpet" is an "ancient" legend in the Chinese film industry: Director Ning Hao's famous work "Crazy Stone" was appreciated and invested by "Bo Le" Andy Lau; seventeen years later, the fateful couple Bole and Maxima collaborated on the movie "Mr. Red Carpet".
This is a satirical comedy focusing on the fame and fortune of the entertainment industry. Andy Lau, as a model worker in the film industry, has a stable box office base. It is reminiscent of "The Crowd", which will be released during the Spring Festival in 2021. The film was produced and starred by Andy Lau. Although it had a bad start, Andy Lau's appeal eventually pushed the box office to more than 700 million yuan.
How will the box office trend of "Mr. Red Carpet" be in the future?
It's still not possible to make a conclusion yet.
Are you planning to watch the Spring Festival movie?
Which movie do you like the most?
Source | Guangzhou Daily is compiled from Securities Times, China Film Report, Maoyan Data, Lighthouse Data, etc.
