Will the Force be with China?

Statues of Stormtroopers stand at the entrance of a Beijing cinema. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Zhang Xiaobei, a sci-fi movie director and veteran commentator, says China's cultural climate then couldn't embrace Star Wars with the fervor it received in the West starting in the late 1970s.

"Star Wars catered to Western youngsters' pursuit of novelty, Eastern mysticism and anti-mainstream aesthetics," says film researcher Zuo Heng, who adds that the series did not bring the same sense of novelty to China.

"Without the nostalgia and history, Star Wars movies are not different from, or superior to, any other heavy effects-studded Hollywood blockbusters to young Chinese," explains Zhang.

But insiders believe change will come.

Zuo likens Star Wars to The Great Wall, the largest Sino-US coproduction of massive battles on China's architectural masterpiece, but says the casting of Yen and Jiang could mean a bigger effect for Rogue One.

"Their roles－rarely bearing such weight in a Hollywood big franchise before－may arouse international interest in China," says Zuo.

Jiang, who watched the preview last week in Beijing, says the duo played by the Chinese stars are impressive. In addition to veteran performances, they present a series of comedic moments.

"Such supporting roles sometimes grab audiences more than the lead characters, making them a bit easier to be remembered by international audiences," says Jiang.

Jiang adds that the young generation, with more access to Hollywood movies and better English, is expanding the fan base.

"When some familiar lines or characters appear, the youngsters scream and clap. You can sense the difference between decades ago and now," says Jiang, who first watched the Star Wars movies in the 1980s.

Contact the writer at xufan@chinadaily.com.cn