By MTV International – Screenshot from Crazy Rich Asians Cast Play Never Have I Ever MTV Movies, (CC BY 3.0)
While some people might think that the film Crazy Rich Asians would do well in countries in Asia, that was not the case with China, Forbes reports.
When it finally opened in China this past weekend, the film only made $1.1-1.2 million, which is quite the low box office number. The country is the “world’s second-largest movie market.” The lack of success the film had in China highlights a difference in global perspective of the film.
Critics say that part of the reason why the film did not do so well was attributed to the constant visual of Asian faces in media every day.
The film did well in America since it featured faces not normally seen on American screens. In China, however, the film industry does not have an issue in featuring Asian faces, so that aspect of the film did not necessarily resonate with Chinese audiences as much.
Another reason the film that globally accrued $238 million did not perform well in China is because of the delayed Chinese release, the Post Bulletin reports.
Crazy Rich Asians initially premiered in countries around the world in August, but it did not premiere in China until this month.
The Chinese government regulates the films shown in theaters, which is part of the delay. People who really wanted to see the movie likely already watched a pirated version.
“If you have a movie people want to see and they don’t have access to it legally, they are going to find other ways to see it,” said Rance Pow, founder and chief executive of cinema consulting firm Artisan Gateway.
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