Imax on Wednesday revealed Warner Bros. Pictures' s The Dark Knight Rises and Columbia Pictures' The Amazing Spiderman will open simultaneously in China on its screens from August 27.
The clash, out of the hands of Imax as Chinese authorities direct screen traffic in that market, will see Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Rises open on 78 Imax screens, while Marc Webb's Amazing Spiderman will fill 74 of its super-sized screens in China.
Both blockbuster films are expected play in China for around five weeks.
"We view this cannibalization as negative as the hope had been that they would not toggle the two films," Ben Mogil, an entertainment analyst with Stifel, wrote in an investors note Wednesday.
"However, given certain blackout periods for non-domestic films and overall government regulation in terms of Hollywood film scheduling, there appears to have been little leeway in this area," Mogil added.
Amazing Spider-Man has so far grossed $700 million worldwide.
Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 also played on Imax screens.