Chinese market for American films

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April 16th, 2014 at 7:47:59 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
We've discussed the 34 film limit for American films in China. They are hand selected by Chinese censors.

Last year's list has 37 films, so presumably Jurassic Park (3D) and two others don't count towards the limit. "The Impossible" was actually made in Spain although it is in English.

Pacific Rim actually made more money in China than in the USA.

  1. $121,200,000 Iron Man 3
  2. $111,940,000 Pacific Rim
  3. $70,680,000 Gravity
  4. $66,490,000 Fast & Furious 6
  5. $63,440,000 Man of Steel
  6. $63,310,000 The Croods
  7. $59,234,352 Skyfall
  8. $56,910,000 Star Trek Into Darkness
  9. $55,890,000 Jurassic Park (3D)
  10. $55,340,000 Thor: The Dark World
  11. $53,840,000 G.I. Joe: Retaliation
  12. $49,730,000 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
  13. $40,570,000 The Wolverine
  14. $34,480,000 After Earth
  15. $33,720,000 Monsters University
  16. $31,620,000 A Good Day to Die Hard
  17. $28,470,000 White House Down
  18. $27,920,000 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
  19. $25,910,000 Oz The Great and Powerful
  20. $25,690,000 Elysium
  21. $23,860,000 Oblivion
  22. $22,060,000 The Smurfs 2
  23. $18,140,000 Turbo
  24. $17,760,313 Resident Evil: Retribution
  25. $15,090,000 Jack Reacher
  26. $13,340,000 The Great Gatsby (2013)
  27. $12,940,000 The Lone Ranger
  28. $11,850,000 Hotel Transylvania
  29. $9,900,000 Les Miserables (2012)
  30. $8,980,000 Red 2
  31. $8,730,000 The Impossible
  32. $8,490,000 Jack the Giant Slayer
  33. $8,030,000 Epic
  34. $7,790,000 The Last Stand
  35. $5,820,000 Olympus Has Fallen
  36. $4,470,000 Dredd
  37. $1,840,000 Bullet to the Head


There are some pretty terrible films on that list. Not to mention some films that were popular in the USA. While I understand that American comedy may not translate well, some of these films had to do better than "Bullet to the Head".

The Heat
We're the Millers
American Hustle
April 16th, 2014 at 12:37:25 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
They are mostly films that celebrate violence. Surely
this isn't lost on the censors. Are they trying to send
a message to their people that we have a culture of
upheaval? At least 20 of them are almost pure violence.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
April 16th, 2014 at 1:15:52 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Like most censors they seem more concerned about avoiding sex than violence. With a 34 film limit the more thoughtful films would never be exhibited. I don't know if they can get them on TV.

All Is Lost
American Hustle
August: Osage County
Blue Jasmine
Captain Phillips
Cutie and the Boxer
Dallas Buyers Club
Dirty Wars
Ernest & Celestine
Her (2013)
Inside Llewyn Davis
Lone Survivor
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Nebraska
Philomena
Prisoners
Saving Mr. Banks
The Grandmaster
The Great Beauty
The Missing Picture
The Square (2013)
The Wolf of Wall Street

Still, Iron Man 3, and Pacific Rim had the same production budget (about $200m). Iron Man 3 made $400m domestically and $800m international, while Pacific Rim made $100m domestic, and $300m international. That huge take from China prevented the film from being an even bigger loss.

It's interesting that White House Down was also a failure in China. The assumption is that it failed in Northern America since "Olympus Has Fallen" was released only a few weeks earlier. But the Chinese didn't like "Olympus Has Fallen", either.
April 16th, 2014 at 3:10:55 PM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Pacomartin


There are some pretty terrible films on that list. Not to mention some films that were popular in the USA. While I understand that American comedy may not translate well, some of these films had to do better than "Bullet to the Head".



You never know what will sell well overseas. One culture's dog food is another culture's gourmet. "Baywatch" was canceled in the USA before they realized how much it made overseas. Jerry Lewis is a hit in France. Cash the checks and don't fight the market.
The President is a fink.
July 7th, 2014 at 6:59:03 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Pacomartin
We've discussed the 34 film limit for American films in China. They are hand selected by Chinese censors.
Pacific Rim actually made more money in China than in the USA.


The fact that they are making a Pacific Rim 2, despite the dismal performance in US Box Office is one indicator that the US market is starting to take second place.

Last year the top 12 films made 33% of the US box office. The top 14 US films were among the 34 films released to China. Iron Man 3 was carefully crafted to appeal to the chinese market.

Well that tendency just went into hyperdrive. The fourth Transformers film just made $215 million in China. Those are staggering numbers. American film companies are going to be careful that they have 34 films every year that are geared at the Chinese audience.

Last year their was not an R rated film ranked higher than #15. I think that trend will continue, since R rated films are usually don't do well in China, and very few of the 34 spots are opened up to an R rated film.
15 The Heat Fox R
16 We're the Millers WB R
17 American Hustle Sony R
19 The Conjuring WB R
20 Identity Thief Uni. R
July 7th, 2014 at 7:35:28 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
They seem to like violence and lots of CG. I
doubt if romcom's do very well there.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 7th, 2014 at 9:16:18 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Evenbob
They seem to like violence and lots of CG. I
doubt if romcom's do very well there.


Maybe they do have successful romcom's, but they are probably in Chinese. Most of the movies listed have cartoon violence. I think perhaps a film like Romeo Must Die, or Evil Dead, or Texas Chainsaw 3D, would have serious problems with their censors.

The censors let in DJANGO UNCHAINED because they probably though it carried a social message about how the USA became an industrial power.
July 7th, 2014 at 9:25:27 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
I consider movies like Transformers and Ironman
to be very violent, even it's machines fighting
machines. I always FF thru those parts, very boring.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
July 14th, 2014 at 12:26:13 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
This phenomena where a film makes more money in China than in Northern America just began last years with "Pacific Rim"

It seems to be accelerating. Now there are three movies so far this year, and two more where the Chinese boxoffice very nearly equals that of Northern America (USA and Canada).

It seems that it's kind of a waste to use one of the 34 slots for "Monument Men".

I understand that major studios have cut their plans to make comedies by over 70% as comedies won't sell in China.

percent China N. Americas Title
421% $11 $3 Snowpiercer (only 16 days in Northern America)
152% $66 $44 Need for Speed
126% $263 $209 Transformers: Age of Extinction
88% $20 $23 Transcendence
87% $51 $59 Robocop (2014)
69% $66 $94 Edge of Tomorrow
52% $26 $51 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
51% $116 $229 X-Men: Days of Future Past
45% $116 $258 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
39% $78 $198 Godzilla (2014)
30% $39 $130 Rio 2
20% $43 $222 Maleficent
17% $19 $111 Mr. Peabody & Sherman
9% $7 $78 The Monuments Men
July 14th, 2014 at 12:36:42 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Monuments Men, why would Clooney even take
on a movie like this. It got 32% on RT. It shows
Clooney isn't half the movie expert he thinks
he is.

http://www.thewrap.com/george-clooneys-nazi-problem-monuments-men-hard-fun-hitler/

Clooney has directed 5 movies and only
one, Good Night and Good Luck, made
any money. MM might break even some day.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
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