Authorities appear to be ensuring that the James Bond film doesn't overshadow big-budget Chinese releases at the box office.
HONG KONG – Sony Pictures' Skyfall may be on target to hit the billion dollar mark in global box office, but Daniel Craig's latest outing as James Bond won't be hitting theaters in China any time soon.
THR has learned that Chinese authorities are now eyeing a late January or early February bow, a solid three months later than its original release date of Nov. 2 -a date still listed on the official James Bond web site, www.007.com.
It's not that the authorities have problems with Skyfall's content. The official press, such as the English-language China Daily, has run quite a few wire stories about the fanfare surrounding the release of the film around the world. But the decision to push the film to January could be interpreted as overtly political and protectionist, since authorities appear to be ensuring Skyfall doesn't overshadow big-budget Chinese releases at the box office.
Feng Xiaogang's Back to 1942 and Lu Chuan's The Last Supper - both the kind of lavish, state-backed historical epics that China turns out regularly - are slated for late November releases in the country. By pushing Skyfall's into to the Chinese New Year theatrical window in late January or early February, Chinese officials may be attempting to secure bigger box office for Chinese films.
It wouldn't be the first time. Just last summer, the authorities pledged to make July the "month of protecting domestic films" by bumping all international summer blockbusters out of the release schedule. This led to an unhindered run at the box office for local productions, including the action fantasy Painted Skin: Resurrection, which took in $112.4 million (700 million yuan) as it nearly monopolized screens in the country during the month of June.
HONG KONG – Sony Pictures' Skyfall may be on target to hit the billion dollar mark in global box office, but Daniel Craig's latest outing as James Bond won't be hitting theaters in China any time soon.
THR has learned that Chinese authorities are now eyeing a late January or early February bow, a solid three months later than its original release date of Nov. 2 -a date still listed on the official James Bond web site, www.007.com.
It's not that the authorities have problems with Skyfall's content. The official press, such as the English-language China Daily, has run quite a few wire stories about the fanfare surrounding the release of the film around the world. But the decision to push the film to January could be interpreted as overtly political and protectionist, since authorities appear to be ensuring Skyfall doesn't overshadow big-budget Chinese releases at the box office.
Feng Xiaogang's Back to 1942 and Lu Chuan's The Last Supper - both the kind of lavish, state-backed historical epics that China turns out regularly - are slated for late November releases in the country. By pushing Skyfall's into to the Chinese New Year theatrical window in late January or early February, Chinese officials may be attempting to secure bigger box office for Chinese films.
It wouldn't be the first time. Just last summer, the authorities pledged to make July the "month of protecting domestic films" by bumping all international summer blockbusters out of the release schedule. This led to an unhindered run at the box office for local productions, including the action fantasy Painted Skin: Resurrection, which took in $112.4 million (700 million yuan) as it nearly monopolized screens in the country during the month of June.
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