China has already imported several Hollywood blockbusters, including « Transformers, » « Spider-Man 3 » and « Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. » But Hollywood trade publication Variety reported on its Asian Web site Tuesday that Chinese officials believe « Rush Hour 3, » which stars Chan and Chris Tucker as buddy cops taking on a Chinese crime family in Paris, is « fundamentally anti-Chinese. » New Line Cinema said it had no comment
« We think the market for the movie is relatively weak, » Xiao Ping, a vice president at state-run China Film Group’s import and export arm, said Tuesday.
The Chinese government carefully screens foreign media content and allows only about 20 foreign films a year to be shown.
Ping said « Rush Hour 3 » was up against some tough competition.
China has already imported several Hollywood blockbusters, including « Transformers, » « Spider-Man 3 » and « Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. »
But Hollywood trade publication Variety reported on its Asian Web site Tuesday that Chinese officials believe « Rush Hour 3, » which stars Chan and 대구 안마 Chris Tucker as buddy cops taking on a Chinese crime family in Paris, is « fundamentally anti-Chinese. »
New Line Cinema said it had no comment.
Chan, 53, and Tucker, 34, have co-starred in all three « Rush Hour » movies. The trilogy, directed by Brett Ratner, began in 1998.
The loss of the China market isn’t a major blow to filmmakers. Chinese box-office income remains much smaller than in the U.S. A movie that makes tens of millions of U.S. dollars in China can be considered a hit, while U.S. box-office winners can make hundreds of millions.
« Rush Hour 3 » is set for release in the U.S. on Aug. 10.
By Min Lee