Film
China’s Blockbuster Lineup Signals Tough Year for Hollywood
- U.S. films losing share as China set to become biggest market
- New Year’s holiday movie menu is packed with potential hits
China’s biggest week of the year for movie-goers is packed with at least 12 new releases -- all in the local language -- a sign that Hollywood studios are headed for another challenging year in their No. 1 overseas market.
The lineup of potential Lunar New Year blockbusters Jan. 24-30 is drawing even more attention than usual because China is set to overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest movie market this year. The milestone is important as well for U.S. filmmakers that have come to rely on revenue from China to backstop big-budget “tentpoles,” films made to be big earners to offset the financial riskiness of a studio’s other titles.