China has rules about which foreign movies can be screened there – and its giant box office can make or break movies these days.
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After all the division and controversy over its roll-out last week, the new all-female Ghostbusters re-boot may not be getting a theatrical release in China – but not for that reason…
‘Most of the Chinese audience didn’t see the first and second movies, so they don’t think there’s much market for it here’.
When the original was released in 1984 in China, it was called “Ghost Catcher Dare Die Team”.
In an attempt to gain access to the world’s second-largest movie market, Sony had the movie’s title translated to “Super Power Dare Die Team”, but even that was not enough to satisfy Chinese censors.
Ghostbusters, directed by Paul Feig and starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon, opening on July 15th in the United States, is expected to face a hard opening weekend, with a projected $50 million take off a $144 million budget.
Have you seen Ghostbusters yet?
A Chinese executive told THR that the China Film Co. made its decision “because they think it’s not really that attractive to Chinese audiences”.
Though Sony refused comment on the decision not to submit the film to China’s censorship board for approval, it’s likely due to the board’s policy disallowing films that “promote cults or superstition”.
The film’s famous theme may feature the words “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts”, but it’s been reported that the Chinese don’t share singer Ray Parker Junior’s courage in the face of the spirit world.
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Ghostbusters opens in US theaters July 15.
