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[Blablurn]

The future of filmmaking appears to be in the hands of Vin Diesel as the Fate of the Furious has now become the highest-grossing Hollywood film in more than 5,000 years of Chinese history.

Since its record-breaking release last month, the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise has earned $377 million (2.60 billion yuan) at the Chinese box office. Impressive as that is, it still leaves the movie more than $100 million behind China's highest-ever grossing movie, Stephen Chow's The Mermaid, which dominated theaters last Spring Festival.

But the blockbuster has managed to surpass its predecessor, Furious 7, along with the domestic 3D fantasy adventure Monster Hunt, which got a little extra help at the box office to briefly become China's top grossing movie in 2014.

While the Fate of the Furious has performed well in other markets, taking in over $1 billion worldwide, its performance in the world's second biggest box office has been the key to the movie's success, demonstrating to Hollywood once again the power of Chinese film-goers.

With trade negotiations ongoing between US and Chinese officials, some experts believe that China is likely to raise its quota on foreign movies that can be shown each year in Chinese theaters, allowing for even more indistinguishable Hollywood action-adventure blockbusters to stream into the country.

Source: http://shanghaiist.com/2017/05/04/fate-of-the-furious.php

 

[Zen Aku]

Until Transformers: The Last Knight come out.

 

[CadetMahoney]

I still SMH at the appeal of the franchise.

But part 5 > rest.

 

[the_batman]

Chinese government screwing its people all over the place, you got the poisonous air, the low building standards, and now hot garbage pouring in from Hollywood.

 

[T.O.P]

 

[EYEL1NER]

Wow, it's blowing my mind how much The Mermaid made, if F8 is the highest-grossing Hollywood movie and is still trailing it. So The Mermaid pulled in almost half a billion dollars? That's insane (though not undeserved).

Also, the following quote is making me laugh quite a bit:

The future of filmmaking appears to be in the hands of Vin Diesel as the Fate of the Furious has now become the highest-grossing Hollywood film in more than 5,000 years of Chinese history.

Really? Now exactly how many Hollywood movies were being shown in China 5000 years ago?

 

[Guzim]

Pockets ain't empty, cuz.

 

[Discotheque]

Wow, it's blowing my mind how much The Mermaid made, if F8 is the highest-grossing Hollywood movie and is still trailing it.

give the next one to Stephen Chow.

 

[firehawk12]

I still need to watch The Mermaid just to see what it is. lol

 

[SomedayTheFire]

give the next one to Stephen Chow.

Did not realise how much I needed this.

Spoiler

also bring back Han

 

[Bishop89]

I still SMH at the appeal of the franchise.

But part 5 > rest.

Great action
Likeable cast
Cars
Babes
Great music

 

[SpaceWolf]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

 

[the_batman]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

their government only lets them see certain foreign movies in theaters

 

[HariKari]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

I think movies-as-pure-spectacle are big there, hence the love for Transformers.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

Effects-driven 3D blockbusters that don't require the subtitles to follow seems to be the running theme. Doesn't hurt to have a scene set in China either.

 

[Slayven]

what does the chinese movie poster look like?

 

[Timbuktu]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

This really isn't that strange at all. F&F has been doing well internationally. Most other blockbusters are now wrapped around existing properties or are revival of old properties that countries like China don't have cultural attachment to. I don't see why every countries has to fall over themselves to watch the latest Marvel or Star Wars movie. F&F is pretty unique as a relatively new movie based franchise, with a diverse cast and you kind of know what you would get.

I think movies-as-pure-spectacle are big there, hence the love for Transformers.

And that isn't the case in the US?

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Maybe Black Panther has a chance?

 

[MsKrisp]

While the Fate of the Furious has performed well in other markets, taking in over $1 billion worldwide, its performance in the world's second biggest box office has been the key to the movie's success, demonstrating to Hollywood once again the power of Chinese film-goers.

I guess this means Hollywood is going to keep catering to Chinese markets?

 

[Timbuktu]

I guess this means Hollywood is going to keep catering to Chinese markets?

Zootopia was the best performing Hollywood movie there last year, did much better than Kung Fu Panda 3, so there is more than one succeed there than just pandering. Other than action, animation has an advantage in that you can have a good local dub that can better carry the comedy or drama. Otherwise you rely on subtitles, which is why foreign language films don't do that well in US either.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

https://youtu.be/7olh2I0dN7w?t=283

 

[Finaika]

I still SMH at the appeal of the franchise.

But part 5 > rest.

Family.

 

[Zombine]

家庭

 

[RumblingRosco]

Really? Now exactly how many Hollywood movies were being shown in China 5000 years ago?

Came here to make the same comment. What a weird sentence.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

This really isn't that strange at all. F&F has been doing well internationally. Most other blockbusters are now wrapped around existing properties or are revival of old properties that countries like China don't have cultural attachment to. I don't see why every countries has to fall over themselves to watch the latest Marvel or Star Wars movie. F&F is pretty unique as a relatively new movie based franchise, with a diverse cast and you kind of know what you would get.


And that isn't the case in the US?

Transformers has been trending downward in the US since Revenge of the Fallen if I recall.

 

[airjoca]

Really? Now exactly how many Hollywood movies were being shown in China 5000 years ago?

Maybe it's kind of a dig?

"5.000 years of history, and this is what they spend their money on"

 

[kswiston]

Due to different exchange rates, F8 is still behind F7 in USD. F7 made $390M.

 

[compo]

I never would've guessed this movie would be breaking all these box office records. I knew it would sell really well, but not the best.

 

[BronsonLee]

F8 doesn't even pander or cater to China in the film at all so I dunno what y'all are playing at with taking that angle

 

[LAM09]

I'm honestly shocked that it's breaking all these records.

 

[Slayven]

F8 doesn't even pander or cater to China in the film at all so I dunno what y'all are playing at with taking that angle

A pander is a big word for you

 

[BronsonLee]

A pander is a big word for you

supercalifragilisticexpialifuckyou

 

[shadow_shogun]

Donnie Yen will be in the next one

Spoiler

along with Han.

 

[Timbuktu]

I never would've guessed this movie would be breaking all these box office records. I knew it would sell really well, but not the best.

It might be plateauing a bit now, but there have a lot of cinemas being built every year in the last decade. A lot of people are getting to see Hollywood movies in the cinema for the first time.

 

[Kinyou]

And all of this without a chinese subplot.

 

[erpg]

Can't get over that first sentence. Absolutely hilarious.

 

[Slayven]

And all of this without a chinese subplot.

I don''t know if you know about Chinese culture(I am an expert), but family is very important to them.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Pockets ain't empty, cuz

 

[number11]

"The future of filmmaking appears to be in the hands of Vin Diesel"

Best sentence I've read all week.

 

[EYEL1NER]

"The future of filmmaking appears to be in the hands of Vin Diesel"

Best sentence I've read all week.

I was about to say "Fuck yeah, I'm down with that! It means more F&F, more Riddick, hell, I'll even watch another Last Witch Hunter." Then I do a quick Google search and see that there actually is another Riddick movie in the works, Furia? Awesome!

 

[chillybright]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

What? What is strange about Fast and Furious selling a lot?

 

[BlazinSkatinAxel]

Donnie Yen will be in the next one

Spoiler

along with Han.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Elfotografoalocado]

Zootopia was the best performing Hollywood movie there last year, did much better than Kung Fu Panda 3, so there is more than one succeed there than just pandering. Other than action, animation has an advantage in that you can have a good local dub that can better carry the comedy or drama. Otherwise you rely on subtitles, which is why foreign language films don't do that well in US either.

In big European countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain) and in Latin American countries foreign films are dubbed, and you can choose to see them dubbed or with subtitles. I assume it's the same in Asian countries, the US doesn't watch foreign films for other reasons such as them being considered hipsterish IMO. If you live in a small population you are stuck with dubbed blockbusters tho. (Unless rich hipsters live there, in which case you have original version runs)
Edit: foreign language dubs are very fun to watch, I would dig watching F&F in Chinese. (I'm sure its dubbed btw)

 

[crazy monkey]

I'll never understand what the deal is with China's cinematic tastes. They seem to gravitate towards the strangest movies.

People like spectacles. Avatar was one this is one transformer is one. Blockbuster movies do good.

 

[HStallion]

What? What is strange about Fast and Furious selling a lot?

Too much Van Diesel and not enough Dwayne Johnson

 

[SpaceWolf]

People like spectacles. Avatar was one this is one transformer is one. Blockbuster movies do good.

So why do franchises like Star Wars seem to do so badly there?

 

[BronsonLee]

So why do franchises like Star Wars seem to do so badly there?

Cause Star Wars is sh-*is run over by a semi*

They just don't really have the nostalgia and love for Star Wars that we do over here. Whatever the reason, it just doesn't land for them yet

 

[Supermanisdead]

5000 years history djnwfjdnfsjdf

 

[dangrib]

Donnie Yen will be in the next one

Spoiler

along with Han.

The Fast is with me and I am one with the Furious.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

I still SMH at the appeal of the franchise.

But part 5 > rest.

It's a big awesome popcorn action series with fun actors. What's not to like?