According to enFilmbase’s China film boxoffice statistics, the mainland boxoffice gross in the 43rd week of 2012(October22-28) was $36.47 million, a 14% increase from the previous week. Moviegoers totaled 7 million, representing an increase of 18% when compared to last week’s numbers.
This week The Bourne Legacy emerged as the biggest winner, raking in $36.47 million over just four days, Total Recall followed in second place, bringing in $6.87 million for a new total gross of $11.8 million through its entire run. Landing in the third place this week after multiple weeks atop the chart, Bait added $4.6 million for a solid $22.88 million in total. In Week 43, imported films took up 85% of the overall boxoffice receipts in the Chinese mainland.
As can be seen from the weekly boxoffice chart above, domestic films were unfortunately edged out by the top five imports. Including newly released Hollywood blockbusters The Bourne Legacy and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, the top five films accounted for 83% of the boxoffice revenue last week in China. China is now on track to become Hollywood’s largest export market at the boxoffice by the end of this year, overtaking Japan. Given the overcrowded market of imported films screening in Chinese cinemas, plenty of domestic films decided to reschedule in order to avoid the fierce battle.
Through four days in release, Universal's action-thriller The Bourne Legacy quickly topped the boxoffice with a weekly gross of $14 million. Though a continuation of The Bourne franchise, this film expands beyond the character of Jason Bourne, focusing instead on the greater world of espionage and secret government programs that surrounded the first three films. Director Paul Greengrass and film star Matt Damon didn’t get involved in it. For the very first time, Tony Gilroy, the screenwriter of the Bourne series directed the movie. The Bourne Legacy has earned a total boxoffice gross of $250 million worldwide. Compared to The Bourne Ultimatum with the total boxoffice revenue of $440 million, The Bourne Legacy hasn't proved to be what fans and Universal were hoping for.
Having waited for a whole year to see the Hollywood title The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 in theaters, the Chinese audiences showed great passion and support for Bella, Edward and Jacob coming across the Pacific Ocean. Landing in the fourth place, it brought in $3.48 million through the past seven days.It is likely that Part 2 will not be released day and date with North America on November 15, because of China’s annual quota of 34 imported films this year.
The number of Hollywood imports that are allowed into China is very important to the domestic film market here in China. Attributed to the growing addiction of IMAX in China, Taichi II earned $1.13 million with 46 admissions per screen average over its first four days. Due to the block booking, the mainstream film The Tree in the Rain enjoyed 50 admissions per screen average the past week.
The latest work of Lou Ye, Mystery, generated buzz well after the half-year long struggle with authorities to debut an appropriate Chinese mainland version. Yet following the film's debut, many cinemas in Beijing only gave it limited screening slots. Some fans claim Lou's film "... has a good beginning but ends roughly", according to reports from Global Times. Through last weekend Mystery added $0.26 million for a total boxoffice gross of $0.83 million.
According to enFilmbase statistics, Total Recall reigned over mainland boxoffice screenings last week, enjoying 20% of the market share in terms of total number of screenings, followed by The Bourne Legacy with 17% market share. Bait and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 both took in 14% of the weekly screenings.
For the 44th week (Oct. 29-Nov. 4, 2012), four films will start their theatrical runs in the Chinese Mainland. As Halloween is coming, two horror flicks, Haunting Love and Derrière les murs will be released on October 30. The Next 11 Days is scheduled for November 1 and Pao Xiao Wu Sheng will be coming out on November 2. On the first day of next month, moviegoers will see the Taichi II in three different formats, 2D, 3D and Imax-3D version.
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