UPDATED: 5 Chinese Blockbusters Looking to Conquer the Box Office This CNY All Delayed
[Updated: Jan 23, 2pm] The companies behind the films below announced one by one on Weibo that the releases will be delayed until further notice due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. For example, the team behind Legend of Deification, the much-anticipated sister film of Nezha, stated: "After four years of production, we were excited to see the release of our film. However, due to the recent outbreak, we have decided that we will release the film after the Chinese New Year ... Now that there is an ongoing epidemic, we should be united in our efforts to prevent the disease and focus on our lives." If you intend to go to the cinema over the holiday, we recommend calling the venue ahead of time to make sure they're open.
How much revenue can the Chinese movie industry generate in just six days? The answer is RMB 5.8 billion when you look at the box office takings during Chinese New Year 2019. And movie studios, directors, and investors are gunning for even bigger earnings this year, releasing a packed line-up of films that they hope will set the tone for the Chinese movie market for 2020.
Last year, the total box office earnings during Chinese New Year was approximately one-tenth of the overall annual earnings, which closesd with a record-breaking RMB 64.2 billion. Additionally, three of the top 10 blockbusters in Chinese cinema last year were released during Spring Festival 2019.
Traditionally, movies released in the lead up to CNY are comedies or romantic stories, hoping to lure couples and families with their light-hearted, G-rated romps. Beijing director Feng Xiaogang, perhaps best known for his own brand of tongue-in-cheek comedy, was even once dubbed the "CNY director" for his success churning out box office hits during the holiday period in the '90s.
However, even critically acclaimed films cannot guarantee a lucrative turnout as China's commercial and artistic landscape grapple with rising ticket prices and an increasingly discerning audience, forcing producers to explore more wide-ranging genres that suit the expectations of their target audience.
In that regard, this year's selection of films already appears to be more promising and diverse than usual. Of the eight or so domestic releases hitting screens this weekend, these five look to be the best.
Detective Chinatown 3 (唐人街探案3)
Probably the most successful detective franchise to come out of China in recent years, director Chen Sicheng's genius lies in his realization that the younger generation increasingly enjoyed detective stories with a cheeky bent à la Sherlock Holmes. The result is Detective Chinatown, now in its third installment, which follows one less than sexy – nor particularly intelligent or heroic – middle-aged private detective and his newly minted police sidekick as they knock heads together to solve their latest case. Following unruly adventures in Thailand and New York, the duo's last battle with deductive reasoning takes the two flawed but likable protagonists to Japan where – surprise, surprise – they'll face run-ins with the yakuza and navigate all the cultural misunderstandings and cliches the writers can throw at them.
The Rescue (紧急救援)
Dante Lam's latest film The Rescue seems to have all the elements of a great action disaster movie: experienced actors, well-made CGI and visual effects, and a blood-pumping storyline based on a real catastrophe. Then there's Eddie Peng and Zhilei Xin splashing around in skintight wetsuits. Lam, meanwhile, has already proven that he knows his way around an action movie, with his last film, 2018's Operation Red Sea, still ranked the second-highest-grossing Chinese film of all time.
Leap (夺冠 FKA 中国女排)
After having taken its 11th World Cup championship in 2019, the Chinese female volleyball team has more than proven its dominance on the court. But just as Rome was not built in a day, the team has battled around the world for its place at the top of the leaderboard. Leap is a fictionalized account of that journey and follows current coach and former player Lang Ping – a household name in China for her part as the team's designated heroine – detailing her ascendancy to volleyball glory. Among Hong Kong's directors, Peter Chan probably knows Chinese mainland audiences the best and has tailored his latest project to reach a broader market, bringing these girls’ stories to the silver screen. Only time will tell if the raw emotions, sweat, and tears that go into making a truly great sports team will be reproduced true to life here or whether the torchbearers of the country's national image i.e. the National Radio and Television Administration, will have flattened the narrative into one-dimensional propaganda.
Lost in Russia (囧妈)
Lost in Russia director Xu Zheng is one of the few comedic actor-directors in China who continues to strive to create original comedic Chinese characters (rather than relying on hackneyed gags or social media memes brought to life), using years of experience in the movie industry and a down-to-earth attitude to win a loyal fanbase. Tragedy usually sits at the heart of any good comedy and Xu Zheng knows this well, creating troubled antiheroes who find themselves stuck in one dilemma after another. For this latest chapter of Xu's "Lost" series, his character travels from China to Russia by train while trying to better his business rivals and at the same time fix his relationship with his mother who doesn’t seem to understand him at all.
Legend of Deification (姜子牙)
Just like China's football team, Chinese animation has been a polarizing topic for many people over the years. However, last year's Nezha has done its part to ease tensions thanks to its fresh approach to adapting Chinese folklore for the screen, high-quality visual effects, and characters that were both recognizable and given a fresh new look. Though not technically a sequel to Nezha, Legend of Deification embodies a new story from the same universe and where the former film riffed on individuality and the pains of growing up, Deification tackles more adult themes such as self-redemption in the face of mistakes. Our main concern with the film is that none of Nezha's same core crew, including the director, have been involved in the making of Deification, which suggests there was a lot of pressure to release a spin-off only a year after the original's success. Nevertheless, we hope this new episode will help China's animation industry reach new heights rather than provide naysayers with more ammunition.
Wonder what you may have missed out on at the cinema last year?
Browse top 10 Chinese blockbusters of 2019, right here.
Images courtesy of the movie studios
