"Avengers: Infinity War" will hit Chinese theaters nationwide on May 11, the last market in the world to open the blockbuster, which, too, disappoints Chinese fans. The late submission of the final cut by Disney's global distribution arm for Chinese "technical review" should be blamed for the late Chinese release, according to media reports.

Disney usually sends their movie to Chinese authorities further in advance to allow them to review and edit the film, including subtitling and dubbing, because China’s procedures and process to import a foreign film usually take longer than other markets. However, this time the company delivered the film to all countries simultaneously in order to prevent leaks. This left Chinese partners little time to work out an edited version of the film.

Superhero flicks, whether from Marvel or DC Comics, see moderate returns in the Chinese market. Six superhero films, including "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Justice League" and "Wonder Woman," were imported to China in 2017, each grossing in the range of US$100 million to US$110 million. The highest-grossing superhero film in China is 2015’s "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which made 1.46 billion yuan (US$232 million) in the market.

Earlier this year, Marvel’s "Black Panther" became a cultural phenomenon in North America, even surpassing the box office achievements and critical acclaim of "Titanic." But the film received only average reviews in China and grossed just 662 million yuan (US$105 million), far from a phenomenon.

This may be why Disney tried to attract more fans to their films, including the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, by inviting domestic celebrities to join their events or act as their promotional "ambassadors." However, the local star power has not necessarily translated into higher profits. Hong Kong star Louis Koo, for example, was invited to the premiere of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" in Shanghai last year. But the film failed miserably in the Chinese market, with a total gross of only US$42.57 million, which paled in comparison with the North American domestic gross of US$620 million.

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