One of the handfuls of Hollywood films to make it into Chinese theaters in recent months has been Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the feature film adaptation of the popular tabletop role-playing game. The Paramount Pictures film hasn't performed too well in its opening weekend, earning just enough to beat the debut of Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
According to Variety, the D&D film earned $5 million over its opening weekend. For comparison, Warner Bros. Discovery's recently-released Shazam! sequel earned just $4.4 million in China over its opening weekend. The performance of both has been noted by observers as evidencing Hollywood's inability to capture the same success it enjoyed prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Hollywood Fails to Draw Audiences in China
While Hollywood films have not been able to draw in Chinese audiences, it is significant that major releases are now being allowed back into theaters. The vast majority of Hollywood films have been virtually banned over the last two years, including the titles comprising the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was only recently that films such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were given release dates.
Owing to new regulations and guidelines pushed by the Communist Party-led government in China, there has been an increased focus on nationalism and domestically-produced films and content. This resulted in a shift in attitudes across Hollywood's major studios. Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek previously expressed that films such as Spider-Man: No Way Home -- which was never released in China and earned over $1 billion regardless -- and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness proved that studios don't necessarily need the massive Chinese market to profit from major titles.
Dungeons and Dragons Elsewhere
Domestically, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves opened with a decent take at the box office, grossing $38.5 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Internationally, the film grossed a total of $33 million for a total of $71.5 million at the worldwide box office.
Honor Among Thieves, starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis and Hugh Grant, has been generally well-received by both critics and audiences, with many praising the performance of the film's cast-- specifically the comedic charm of Pine -- and a fantasy story appropriate for both fans of the tabletop RPG and newcomers to the property.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is playing in theaters now.
Source: Variety, Box Office Mojo