‘Gravity’ Breaks Imax Record on Way to $35M Debut in China

Apparently China likes to pit movies against each other ...Catching Fire is also opening this weekend:

‘Gravity’ Breaks Imax Record on Way to $35M Debut in China

The Sandra Bullock-George Clooney 3D space epic takes in $7.4M from 123 Imax screens for Warner Bros.

The 3D space epic “Gravity” has posted the biggest Imax opening ever in China on its way to a sensational $35.5 million first weekend in the People’s Republic, Warner Bros. reported Sunday.

“Gravity brought in $7.4 million from 123 Imax screens – it was in 5,854 theaters total– or one-fifth of its grosses there. The previous best Imax total was the $6.3 million posted by “Iron Man 3″ in May.

China now ranks as the third largest market for “Gravity,” behind the U.S. ($245 million) and France ($42.8 million).

Its big China opening is particularly impressive, since it opened just two days before “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” Chinese officials, who routinely seek to protect homegrown movies at the box office, scheduled the two blockbusters’ openings just two days apart. That will cost both movies millions in box office revenues, analysts say.

This isn’t the first time that China has pit two U.S blockbusters against each. Last year, the county opened “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Amazing Spider-Man” simultaneously, which cut into both of their box office takes.

The Alfonso Cuaron-directed thriller may have gotten a boost in the People’s Republic from a key plot point involving a Chinese space shuttle.


For the weekend, “Gravity” brought in $46.6 million internationally to raise its foreign total to $331.5 million. That raises the overall worldwide gross for the thriller starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney to $577 million, with Japan yet to come.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” may have been beaten out in China, but that’s about the only foreign market in which it didn’t open at No. 1. It brought in $146 million from 64 markets which, coupled with its $161 million domestic opening, gives it a $307 million first weekend worldwide.

“Thor: The Dark World,” the worldwide leader for the past three weeks, was dethroned but still took in $24.8 million from 72 territories. That puts its international haul at $381 million and its worldwide gross at roughly $550 million.

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This is amazing it just keeps climbing all the time.
Thanks so much for this article, SG you did it again. xxx

Thanks SG.

"Chinese officials, who routinely seek to protect homegrown movies at the box office, scheduled the two blockbusters’ openings just two days apart. That will cost both movies millions in box office revenues, analysts say."

That was interesting. Didn't know China does that. Wonder if at the end it really helps the "homegrown movies" or it just hurt the american blockbusters.

Very funny interview with Sandra Bullock about her relationship with His Nibs in Entertainment Weeklyblog....

I don´t even know what are China´s "homegrown" movies, can´t think of any. Some with martial art, wuxia and jackie Chan type of things? China is not India. I think it only hurts the blockbusters.

China has one of the larger film industries in the world and pump out hundreds of films every year. They make every kind of film you can imagine, all for local consumption.

Nicky80 wrote:Thanks SG.

"Chinese officials, who routinely seek to protect homegrown movies at the box office, scheduled the two blockbusters’ openings just two days apart. That will cost both movies millions in box office revenues, analysts say."

That was interesting. Didn't know China does that. Wonder if at the end it really helps the "homegrown movies" or it just hurt the american blockbusters.

To tell the truth, 80% of homegrown movies here are trash. Most Chinese audience just crowd into theaters on holidays aimlessly, watching whatever movie as long as it fits with their time schedule. Most of them don't know anything about the movies out there, they just want to spend the time in holidays or vacations. So whatever movie gets a good holiday release period can be a real hit at boxoffice!
BTW, I'm a college student who loves Hollywood movies while my classmates often go to see those bad movies. They just don't have a plan in mind before they buy the tickets. Anyway, I recommended Gravity immensely to many of my friends, and they all went to see it on IMAX saying it was great.
In this market, the officials control everything about release arrangements for foreign movies. In 2012 summer, The Dark Knight Rises and Amazing Spiderman were scheduled to open on the SAME day! That was crazy!
What I'm trying to say is the opening date is a really important factor in China's boxoffice business, but normally the good homegrown movies get a so-so release date and haven't got much help from that protective policy, while millions of movie-goers are tricked into bad movies with a good release date. It's all down to the distribution company's PR powers.

As for Gravity, I felt really proud when Sandra floats into Tiangong and Shouzou.
Many interesting details in there, the Ping-pong bat,the smiling Buddha and the experimental corps etc.Chinese audience just love these little things!  
The warning voice from the security system when she breaks into Tiangong actually says "Danger! Please leave the scene immediately!" repeatedly.