Photo: 
AP
Box-office games: films in China

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 1”, the third film in a blockbuster series, opens around the world today—but not in China. Regulators have delayed its release until early 2015. Censorship does not seem to be the reason, despite its anti-totalitarian themes. Much more likely, officials hope to stop foreign films trouncing domestic productions too heavily at the box office this year. After all, China routinely screens foreign movies with underdog good guys (or girls) taking on authoritarian baddies. Chinese cinema-goers saw the first two “Hunger Games” films; censors have approved the third. But late in the year foreign films’ success can become politically sticky. Their take jumped dramatically this summer with the latest “Transformers” movie, which took in $301m. “Interstellar”, a science-fiction epic, has made a sparkling start, earning $42m in its first five days. The biggest Chinese draw this year has been a romantic comedy, “Breakup Buddies”, with $188m.

Nov 21st 2014
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