The new Disney movie, Thunderbolts*, is opening in Chinese cinemas on Wednesday. This will test China’s appetite for Hollywood blockbusters. It is the first American film to be released since a new trade war began.
The film, a part of the Marvel franchise, received approval before the US and China imposed tariffs.
This meant the movie escaped China’s decision to curb Hollywood imports. The curb was retaliation against the United States earlier this month.
In 2024, China released 42 American films. However, Chinese audiences have been gravitating away from Hollywood.
2025 releases include Snow White, which made 9 million yuan ($1.24 million). Captain America: Brave New World pulled in 104 million yuan.
Ne Zha 2, the 2025 box office leader, has grossed more than 7 billion yuan in its home market.
Beijing resident Pan Lei, a frequent cinema-goer, stated, “It’s hard to remember the last American film I watched… I think it should be Dune, which was four years ago.”
Pan, 49, said that American films have been standard fare for nearly 20 years. The novelty of their production and visual effects has worn off.
He added, “I miss the days when we could watch wonderful Hollywood films like Titanic, Speed, True Lies and Iron Man in cinemas.”
Pan also mentioned, “I think the younger generation doesn’t share the same idea of Hollywood as my generation.”
Chinese moviegoers once saw Hollywood films dominating China’s box office. However, the development of a homegrown industry has seen domestic films with local stars rise to supplant them. These films tell specifically Chinese stories.
Since 2015, Chinese films have ranked number one at the local box office each year. Foreign films at the top of the box office takings have become rarer.
Analysts say that Hollywood films will likely not regain their once-dominant position. This is true even without a trade war and rising geopolitical tensions.
Stanley Rosen, a professor at the University of Southern California, stated, “China will continue to dominate its home market.” He further said, “China has learned a lot from Hollywood — for example, from their earlier collaboration with DreamWorks in Shanghai — and simply does not need the Hollywood blockbusters anymore.”
Rosen also noted, “Only two Hollywood films made over $100 million in China last year, and I don’t expect any will do so this year.”
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