Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debuted this weekend for $28 million in China, an initial amount that would have been considered disappointing prior to the pandemic, but which many box office analysts would find promising in the current climate.
The James Gunn-directed sequel gave Hollywood its biggest China opening of 2023 yet after several other studio tentpoles tripped (including: The Super Mario Bros. movie, Ant Man 3 And Shazam! 2). The only recent American film to earn more than Guardians 3 — close to pre-pandemic earnings potential Avatar: the way of the water, opening $57.1 million and totaling $246 million at the end of last year. Ticketing app Maoyan projects Guardians 3 to close the run with $72 million, against a total of $86.3 million for the original Guards movie in 2014, and $101 million for it Guardians 2 in 2017. Guardians 3 opened particularly well at Imax, grossing $5.6 million, or 19 percent of its first-weekend total in China, from the brand’s giant screens.
After a dip in imported releases in 2022, the Hollywood product begins to return to Chinese screens with a regular clip. Release approvals come four to six weeks in advance, by pre-pandemic standards, and date-and-date release slots with North America have returned to normal — both great boosts to marketing campaigns.
But enthusiasm for American films among Chinese audiences seems to have waned during the long pandemic dry spell – and perhaps also thanks to a steady drumming of negative local press about spiraling diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing. Two Japanese anime titles have far surpassed every Hollywood tentpole in ticket sales in China this year – Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume with $115 million and Toei Animation’s The first slam dunk with $90 million – an outcome unthinkable for most of the past decade.
But Guardians 3The weekend win offers the studios some encouragement that a strong product can still do solid business.
The movie easily unhooked a trio of Chinese tentpoles that launched a little over a week ahead of the May 1 local holiday season. Chinese road comedy thank Godwritten and directed by Yi Xiaoxing (Bath buddy), held on to second place with $15.3 million, bringing total revenue to $99.1 million, according to data from regional box-office tracker Artisan Gateway. And the patriotic action movie Born to flycalled “Chinas Top gundropped 75 percent from first place’s $40 million to earn just $11.2 million for third place in weekend two. Romantic movie All these years similarly, it tumbled, earning just $3.8 million from Friday to Sunday, after debuting to $18.7 million the week before.
Industry watchers will look ahead for signs of growing momentum for Hollywood with Universal’s release in China Fast X – a favorite franchise on the market – coming May 17 and Warner Bros.’ DC superhero entry The flash on June 16.
