Why can Hollywood no longer be dependent on China for its movie theater?

The covvi-19 pandemic stopped at the stop. Started in China and quickly spread to the rest of the world, which led to an international crisis as we had never known before. Anyway, from this nature. The exchange between the suspended countries, at the end of the entire sections of the economy, was sometimes limited to a dragonally manner … The world was frozen to update only to a very gradual course. But who never found his state before the pandemic.

An industry that is dangerous to its basics

The film industry, over a hundred years old, who was not stopped even in the worst hours of history, was largely lying on its grounds. In the United States (as in the rest of the world), doors have been closed for months in all rooms in the rooms, let alone with multiple reports of film releases, even though the rooms have played their survival.

In 2022, Cineworld’s chain declared bankruptcyAlthough the AMC group room network, the largest in the world, was sealed with a few billion dollars. In July 2024, He again announced the restructuring of the loan partWhich amounted to $ 4.5 billion. This means that the results of the crisis continue to expands.

Modified media and economic landscape

And even when the rooms could open, thanks to the courage of films such as Tenet or Marvel’s new mutants, the media landscape was actually deeply offended; In favor of flow platforms such as Netflix, rapidly followed by Disney+Launches, Apple+TV, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock …

The Major not only did the great on these runs, in the wake of such a brutal change in the consumption of spectators, but they will not hesitate (or no more) now sacrificing a film that was barely released into the building to land on their corresponding platforms.

Or even directly with the VOD, without leaving a dark room box. And the figures are ruthless: when Universal released its film Les Trolls 2 directly: World tour than room, He has announced more money in three weeks than the first film of internal operations in five months… In the country of the big business, the dollar is king.

A small official office

A year before the pandemic, the American box office could boast of stressful consequences. The volume of tickets sold was $ 42 billion. The blessed year of the gods for the Disney firm, which has selected only more than $ 13 billion, especially for nine films, each exceeds one billion revenue.

After the pandemic followed a very heavy strike for several months, which began in 2023 by WGA – SAG connections, the US box office was hanged. From $ 9 billion in 2023, he published half a billion less than the following year. And 2025? These numbers are obviously not final as we are half a year, but estimates that the total income should be lower than 2024 …

Chinese market, land was more promised

In the change of this painful paradigm, another element should be taken into account. Over the years, Hollywood has seen the Chinese market as a new Eldorado. The promised land for its blockbusters is always more expensive for production and depreciation. Economically, it made sense. After all, China exceeded the United States in 2015 Ticket sales for movie theaters.

In view of this well -understood economic interest, the Majors are largely thrown into the battle, trying to penetrate the empire’s market, with quotes of sharp exits on the Western films of the Beijing government. But also access to the government without censorship; Syno-American co-co-multiplied, such as a film in problematic waters, allowing studios to cross their profits from 25 to 45%…

A much more nationalist approach

However, long before the pandemic poured a huge stop, the lights were not exactly soothing. “There has been a significant change in politics, which is now aimed at a more nationalist approach.” Already run in 2017 Jeffrey Katenberg, a former CEO and founder of DreamWorks Animation, who initially contributed to the installation of this studio branch in China. More shiny words.

In 2017, it is a 100% Chinese Action Film, Wolf Warrior 2, in which the hero brought dust into the mercenaries, which destroyed everything on its way, even the greatest success of China’s all time was at a time of $ 800 million; Where Star Wars: The last Jedi, which is newly imported from the US, was only $ 42 million. Obviously, the Chinese community has discovered Star Wars Universe late, except that it is probably highly codified for him. Despite this.

The pandemic is largely focused on China, with the will of the XI Jinping, the head of state, for this nationalist approach to this nationalist approach; Imported production obviously detrimental to Hollywood’s great despair.

The absolutely incredible and devastating success of the Chinese animated film has only strengthened the Chinese government with its strategic vision. Published in late January 2025 in China, the film announced more than $ 2.2 billion. In March, he was the sixth most profitable film of all time in the world IMAX.

“Hollywood has permanently evaluated the market …”

An interesting and long post title Hollywood has a new problem with China Published on the site Foreign policyHis authors, Liz C. Lee and Menguan Lee, brought this quite influential analysis:

“It is easy for Hollywood to abandon the success of Ne Zha 2 as a result of nationalism or state intervention. The harsh truth is that the Chinese society is far from a passive user who only affects propaganda or limited choice, active and sophisticated decisions.

Although Chinese society is developing in a strictly controlled environment – the number and type of Hollywood films that it is viewed is dictated by government quotas. But in view of these restrictions, Hollywood has constantly used the market if it suggests filming films based on formulas and algorithms, with the support of the state, would be enough to ensure the success of the company.

They make tickets for these words: “The lesson from Ne Zha 2 is not that Hollywood should start producing Chinese super products. It is that Hollywood must abandon the idea that his narrative formula is a default formula around the world.

If the studios continue China as a reflection rather than equal and unique cultural power, they will be less and less relevant in the market that was once in the center of their global strategy. “

80% of the income from Chinese cinemas is now produced by Chinese performances

Time (barely 2018!), When China only announced $ 269 million from US $ 856 million, which was collected at World Cashier Venom, is a distant memory. Its suits, Venom: Let Carnage, which was published in 2021 in the world, never put Chinese soil. Resulting in it only recorded “$ 506.8 million income. The difference is violent …

The data below, published by Bloomberg (via Box Office Mojo) in August 2024, is more than a conversation. For example, we note that the fast X, 10th Opus, therefore, is a universal franchise of a billionaire by Vin Diesel, only $ 139.5 million. It is significantly lower than the previous Opus, which still made $ 216 million.

And very far from the scores of 8, fast and angry, who received more than $ 392 million on Chinese soil. 80% of Chinese cinemas from Chinese cinemas are now produced by Chinese production. We will not go so far as to say that competition is just crumbs, but not too far …

“I have heard a very worse thing …”

In this busy economic context, we better understand the general panic that Hollywood received in April. In response to the hardening of customs duties announced by Donald Trump, China revenge and wanted to reduce Hollywood film imports to its market. On average, 10% of the revenue from the American film comes from the Chinese market.

“The incorrect practice of the US government, which includes the imposition of excessive customs duties on China, is more harmful to the positive perception of American films by Chinese society. Comments on the Beijing authorities in the press release Hollywood reporter.

“I have heard everything worse” The current tenant of the White House was released in the process, whose remarks were announced Term. If Hollywood says not to believe in Trump’s customs duties about foreign films transferred to the United States, the size of which was actually directed to China-industry is still concerned.

Hollywood generated $ 279 billion in 2022 and represents 2.3 million jobs, according to the latest data from the US Interprofessional Association Mpa. But this movie industry is in crisis, among historical strikes that are paralyzed by Hollywood for several months of 2023, impacts related to the stream and the results of the post -Klavidan crisis that have not yet been sold.

Last May Variety According to reports, production in the United States has reduced 40 % after the last mobilization. Wear war and nerves that were busy in Hollywood. How long?