Set to open in local theatres on Friday, Disney
<DIS.N> had high hopes for Mulan in China, but starving it of
publicity in the country's strictly censored media would be
another blow to the $200 million production.
Starring big-name Chinese-born actors - Jet Li, Gong Li, Donnie
Yen and Liu Yifei - and based on a Chinese folk story, Mulan was
tailored to appeal to audiences in China, the world's
second-largest movie market.
But mixed reviews online and capacity limits in theatres due to
coronavirus prevention measures were likely to weigh on its box
office performance, even before major media outlets received a
notice telling them to refrain from covering the movie.
Three sources told Reuters media outlets had received the
notice, two of whom said it was sent by the Cyberspace
Administration of China. A fourth source at a major Chinese
newspaper said he received a text message with a similar order
from a senior colleague.
No reason was given in the notice, but the sources said they
believed it was because of the overseas backlash over the film's
links to Xinjiang.
Neither the Cyberspace Administration or Disney immediately
responded to requests for comment.
Partly shot in Xinjiang, Mulan's credits included thanks to the
authorities there, which prompted calls overseas for a boycott
of the movie. China's clampdown on ethnic Uighurs and other
Muslims in Xinjiang has been criticised by some governments,
including the United States, and human rights groups.
On Wednesday, the Global Times, a tabloid run by the ruling
Communist Party's People's Daily, criticised the backlash
against the movie in an editorial in its English edition,
describing it as "another manifestation of the extreme
ideologies regarding China among US public opinion."
Disney had worked to ensure Mulan tested well with Chinese
audiences, and the company's chief financial officer told
investors on Wednesday that it was "very pleased" with the
initial results of its release elsewhere.
The movie was released on Disney's streaming service in many
markets, rather than in cinemas, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Mulan is likely to be shown on more than 40% of China's screens
on Friday, according to data from Maoyan, a Tencent-backed
ticketing platform. Chinese theatres are currently limiting
capacity, typically at 50 percent.
The film had sold 9.78 million yuan ($1.43 million) worth of
tickets as of Thursday afternoon, accounting for 55% of all
ticket sales sold across China for Friday's shows.
One analyst, who declined to be named because he said the
situation is sensitive, predicted the film would earn a dismal
150 million yuan at mainland box offices, given early audience
reviews.
The film, which many have already seen online, has received a
4.7 score out of 10 on popular social media site Douban, where
users leave reviews of films, books and music.
($1 = 6.8389 Chinese yuan renminbi)
(Reporting by Beijing and Shanghai newsrooms; Editing by Tony
Munroe and Simon Cameron-Moore)
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