James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water was able to accomplish what few Hollywood blockbusters have in recent years: get into Chinese theaters. However, following its release there, certain studio executives from China have come out claiming that the film is not right for the country's audiences.As reported by the Global Times, Bona Film Group CEO Yu Dong appeared at the 4th Hainan International Film Festival and stated outright (translated from Mandarin), "[Avatar: The Way of Water] is not suitable for Chinese audiences." He then went on to promote domestically produced films including the upcoming Wandering Earth sequel, which he predicted will surpass the box office performance of Cameron's film.
His comments appeared to conflict with both Chinese critics, who have praised the Avatar sequel, as well as Chinese audiences themselves, may of which argued against Yu's claims on social media. In fact, the film's financial performance and early projections indicate the film was on track for solid success. It was originally predicted by the ticketing service Maoyan to earn approximately $357 million at the Chinese box office over its run. These estimates were recently slashed down to $143 million, largely due to the impact of a coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that is reportedly spreading quickly across China.
Chinese Theaters Struggle
The outbreak comes just after strict coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, including severe lockdowns, frequent testing and more, were eased. The Communist Party-controlled government's "Zero-COVID" policy led to widespread protests, erupting in numerous cities. But while many of the restrictions were lifted, fear of the virus continues to keep consumers away from theaters. The latest figures, provided by Chinese state media, suggest over 10,000 theaters continue to be in operation.
Since the height of the pandemic, China has heavily limited the number of Hollywood films that make it to Chinese screens, despite the fact that the official quota remains at 34. It is believed that the unwillingness is part of a greater cultural shift centered on nationalism and the promotion of domestically-produced media, among other things. These include propaganda films such as The Battle at Lake Changjin, which was commissioned by the Chinese Communist Party and earned $902 million worldwide, beating many Hollywood films released in the same period.
Avatar: The Way of Water is the first Hollywood film since Minions: The Rise of Gru to be distributed throughout China. Similar blockbusters, such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and more have been seemingly banned for one reason or another, or simply never given a release date despite making it past censors.
Avatar: The Way of Water is playing in theaters now.
Source: Global Times, Twitter
NOTE: The Global Times is a state-backed outlet affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party and is recognized as part of the Chinese government's propaganda apparatus.