Is the era of the Chinese release date back again? With both Wonka and Migration set to release on the same day and a raft of other release dates confirmed for what was once one of Hollywood’s most critical overseas markets, it seems so. Blake & Wang P.A. entertainment Lawyers in USA, Brandon Blake, has the news.
Early Release
Both Wonka and Migration have been granted a release date of December 8 for the Chinese market. This would be a week ahead of the domestic release of Wonka, which is seeing a generally advanced overseas rollout.
Disney, which has had difficulties with Chinese releases in recent years, has scored a Chinese opening for The Marvels, which may go a way to offset its generally soft domestic release. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, from Lionsgate, will premiere on November 17 for the Chinese market, followed the next week by Disney’s Wish. Interestingly, DC and Warner Bros Discovery have secured approval for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but still have not received a confirmed date.
Actors Back To Promotion
With the SAG-AFTRA strike finally resolved, we will no doubt see a return of lead actors for these films to the red carpet promotion circuit. Wonka is currently predicted for a $20M opening, but that was without this consideration. In addition to China, the film will roll out to 36 other overseas markets starting from Dec 6th. It will be released for the domestic market on Dec 15. Migration is similarly released for Illumination overseas before its domestic date, with further staggered releases through December-February and Japan in March 2024.
The Chinese market, amid shifting post-pandemic tastes, has been softer than it once was for Hollywood releases. However, this is one of the largest spates of Hollywood releases we’ve seen for the market in recent years, even offset as it is by an equally bulky local slate for the year-end season. Whether this trend will continue or not is the real question.
Film and Television 