Ne Zha 2, a new Chinese blockbuster, recently became the world's highest-grossing animated movie and, as we write this, it's still breaking records. While it's found some success overseas, almost all of its $1.7 billion haul has come from the Middle Kingdom.
Captain America: Brave New World fell to Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy in the UK and, unsurprisingly, proved no match for Ne Zha 2 in China. That combination has put a big dent in its international cume. However, in China, not seeing the latest Marvel Studios movie has reportedly become a point of national pride.
According to the BBC, nationalist fans of Ne Zha 2 are strongly discouraging others from watching Captain America: Brave New World. One popular slogan being used on social media states, "I don't care if Ne Zha 2 can survive overseas, but Captain America 4 must die in China."
News outlets are also taking great delight in the movie's lacklustre performance in China (it opened to $10.6 million this past weekend). One online essay read, "It's not Captain America that's dying, but America that's dying ... In reality, the US does not have superheroes and the US is not a peace-loving, peace-defending beacon for humanity."
Some theaters are even said to have held off screenings of Captain America: Brave New World in a bid to "support" Ne Zha 2. Those who do praise the MCU blockbuster and dare criticise the Chinese title are being labelled unpatriotic or paid "haters."
At least some of the backlash stems from Ne Zha 2 not being given a bigger presence in American theaters. Even so, it grossed $7.2 million from the U.S. during its opening weekend earlier this month.
For those of you curious to learn more about the Chinese mega-hit, here's the trailer and synopsis for Ne Zha 2:
After the heavenly lightning, although Ne Zha and Ao Bing survived by becoming Spirits, they would soon dissipate completely. Taiyi plans to rebuild Ne Zha and Ao Bing's mortal bodies with the Seven-colored Precious Lotus. However, during the process of reconstruction, numerous obstacles arise. What will become of the fate of Ne Zha and Ao Bing?
In Captain America: Brave New World, after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam Wilson finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
The movie stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford. The movie is directed by Julius Onah and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth serve as executive producers.
"Flawed but functional, Captain America: Brave New World's many problems are largely forgotten any time Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford electrify the screen," we said in our review. "And when Red Hulk shows up, the movie reaches new heights of awesome."
Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters.