Across The Border | Chinese box office growth slows as movie fans turn to online streaming
Competition from internet platforms and a lack of Hollywood blockbusters this year are hurting the mainland’s cinemas, say analysts
After a less than sizzling summer for mainland box offices, more and more Chinese movie fans have been going online to stream their films at home, a trend which analysts say may hurt the outlook of cinema providers such as IMAX.
Emma Chen, who works in a financial firm in Guangzhou, is a film fan who likes going to the cinema to catch the big Hollywood blockbusters. Last year she was spoiled for choice, with numerous big-screen hits such as Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and Fast & Furious 7.
This year, however, her trips to the cinema have become less frequent.
“So far this year there were not so many good quality blockbusters showing in the mainland like last year,” she said. “I believe many people share my thoughts: as long as the movie is good and has some well know movie stars, we do not mind paying money to buy the tickets to watch it in the cinema.
Chinese people now have money to go to the cinema but we are very selective. We would not waste money on bad movies
Chinese people now have money to go to the cinema but we are very selective. We would not waste money on the bad movies.”
