(Variety) Hogwarts fans in mainland China will be treated to a wide re-release of all eight "Harry Potter" films starting in mid-October.
Warner Bros. Pictures, the studio behind the franchise, said that the films will pay in some 3,400 theaters across 295 cities in China. The series will kick off Oct. 11, with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." The seven other titles will drop on a weekly basis through October and November.
They will be available in standard 2D versions as well as multiple premium formats, including in CINITY/IMAX/Dolby Cinema.
"This release marks a significant milestone for the 'Harry Potter' film series, as it is the first time all eight films will be available consecutively at such a large scale in any territory," the studio said.
Hollywood films have struggled in China since the beginning of the pandemic era, as Chinese local films have become stronger in terms of craft and budget and as filmmakers have tapped into stories that are more relevant to Chinese audiences. The market share for all foreign-language films dipped to 15% in China last year.
The "Harry Potter" universe, however, holds a lofty and unique place in the annals of Chinese film industry development, representing one of the most-beloved and innovative film series from the west to arrive in Chinese cinemas. They were produced between 2001 and 2011, at a time when multiplexes were new to China and the country's production, distribution and exhibition sectors were all evolving rapidly. For many Chinese audiences they were the first western fantasy-drama movies they saw in comfortable, modern screening conditions.
"There is a whole generation of Chinese audiences, however, which have not had the chance to enjoy the 'Harry Potter' movies in theaters," said Kurt Rieder, head of theatrical distribution, APAC, at Warner Bros. Discovery. He was speaking Thursday at the APOS media and entrainment conference in Indonesia.
The films will be among the first Hollywood titles to release in Chinese cinemas after the Oct. 1 or National Day holidays, which run for a week from next Tuesday. The period is one of the peak film-going seasons and is traditionally dominated by Chinese tentpole titles across a variety of genres.
Cinema box office in China this year is lagging some 22% below 2023 levels and cinema operators could do with a fillip from a familiar and mass-market franchise.
Harry Potter Re-release schedule in China
Oct. 11 – "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
Oct. 18. – "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"
Oct. 25 – "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"
Nov. 1 – "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"
Nov. 8 – "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
Nov. 15 – "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" Nov. 22 – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1"
Nov. 29 – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
Source: Variety by Patrick Frater Sep 26, 2024 8:32am PT
