Chinese theatres set to open by month-end with ‘Harry Potter’ in 3D: Report
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According to a report in Deadline, the first film that will open Chinese theatres once all halls reopen.
With China recuperating fast from coronavirus, according to the authorities, there is news that the theatres in the country could reopen by the end of this month. While there will be a battle of films at the box office considering so many films had to drop because of the pandemic spread, there is also a report that the theatres will balance between various films, to ease their reruns and releases.
Among some films, there are ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, ‘Detective Chinatown 3’, ‘The Rescue’ and more. According to a report in Deadline, the first film that will open Chinese theatres once all halls reopen, will be a 3-D and 4K reissue of ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’.
While the first eight Harry Potter movies had a mixed run in China, the ‘Sorcerer’s Stone and Half-Blood Prince’ had not played.
‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ earned $974 million worldwide in 2001/2002, becoming the second-biggest global grosser ever behind ‘Titanic’ at the time.
In addition, it’s reported that the theatres will keep 100% of the ticket sales and will be allowed to set variable pricing if they choose. This will apparently be done not for boosting the respective global grosses of Harry Potter 1 and the likes but to get the Chinese audience back to the theatres for new movies like ‘1917’, ‘Jojo Rabbit’ and others.
A global pandemic now, novel COVID-19 has so far taken the lives of 10,000 people with several thousands still being treated in different parts of the world.