Society

Confucius, largest domestic screening

By Liu Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-01-23 11:49

The pulling of Avatar's 2-D version from Chinese cinemas will make some space for a new domestic film on the ancient thinker Confucius, but whether that will boost the film's box office is still doubtful.

Confucius, a biopic starring Chow Yun-fat and Zhou Xun, premiered on Friday, one day before Avatar is to be pulled off the 2-D screens in China.

Rumors around China were that James Cameron's sci-fi extravaganza was pulled off the screens to make way for Confucius, but that was soon denied by Zhang Hongsen, vice president of the State Film Bureau, the industry's top regulator.

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Zhang said that the rumor began maybe because Confucius happened to screen around the date of Avatar's pulling. He emphasized that it was a commercial decision to take off Avatar's 2-D version, not a governmental order. Confucius does not have 3-D version, and Avatar's 3-D and IMAX versions continue playing in theaters in China.

According to Zhang, the box office revenue of Avatar's 2-D version makes up only one third of the film's total grossing in China. The film has earned 550 million yuan ($80 million) in the country since its premiere on Jan 4 and has become the highest grossing film here.

Confucius has 2,500 copies for theatrical release, the most ever of a domestic production. But thanks to Avatar's high popularity, many theaters still give the film ample screens. In Beijing yesterday, Avatar had 1,228 screenings while Confucius had 1,219.

Besides Avatar, Confucius also has to compete with Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf II, a local cartoon that created a box office miracle last year.

The animated film about two wolves and a group of goats earned more than 80 million yuan with a production cost of only 6 million yuan last year. The sequel is to open on Jan 29.

Confucius is said to cost 150 million yuan. According to the current business model in the Chinese film industry, the film has to earn at least 400 million yuan to break even, if not considering the audio/video products and overseas copyrights sales.

Film critics have a mixed view of the film. Some focus on some historical mistakes the scriptwriters made, while others believe the film did its job in helping viewers learn more about the philosopher.