The Chinese film market is notoriously difficult to get into. A quota of 20 foreign films are allowed to screen in Chinese cinemas any given year, with an additional 14 enhanced (3D or IMAX) titles given permission as of 2012.
Initially, people were skeptical of
The Hunger Games getting screen time in the world's fastest growing market. Other tentpoles have had trouble. Avatar was pulled from many screens early even though it was a money-making machine because officials thought the storyline was too similar to the social problems afflicting China at the time of release. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End wasn't able to make it to screens until
Chinese censors took a heavy handed razor to the film in order to make Chow Yun-fat's part practically nonexistent because they found the portrayal of a Chinese pirate offensive.
With strong anti-authoritarian tones, many people believed The Hunger Games would never find its way to the big screen. Doubters can now eat crow, as the beginning of June has been penciled in for release.
The icing on the cake for Lionsgate comes in the news that The Hunger Games will be the first film released in China under a new revenue sharing deal. Notes
The Hollywood Reporter:
The Hunger Games will be among the first major Hollywood films to be released in China under the landmark revenue sharing agreement announced in February that allows foreign distributors to collect up to 25 percent of a film's receipts in China. Previously, Western distributors were allotted just 13 percent-17 percent of their films’ grosses in the country.