Lionsgate has announced that The Hunger Games has been approved for release in China in the first half of June.The Hunger Games will be one of the first Hollywood studio films to be released in China under the new blockbuster revenue sharing agreement announced in February that allows Western distributors to collect up to 25 percent of a film's receipts in China.
"We view China as an increasingly important market for our content in Asia," says Wendy Reeds, executive vice president of content sales and distribution, Celestial Tiger Entertainment, Lionsgate's venture with Saban Capital Group in Asia. "The Chinese box office grew by more than 30 percent last year to over $2 billion, and The Hunger Games’ approval for nationwide release in China is a major step in translating the enormous commercial potential of this huge market into reality."
The Hunger Games has already grossed more than $380 million in North America, where it ranks 13th among the highest-grossing films of all time. It has grossed nearly $620 million worldwide.
The film will be released nationwide in China with both dubbed and subtitled prints.
"The Hunger Games juggernaut continues to gain momentum around the world, and we're thrilled that we can now share the exciting first installment of The Hunger Games franchise with Chinese moviegoers in June," says Patrick Wachsberger and Rob Friedman, group co-chairs, Lionsgate Motion Pictures. "China is already one of the leading territories at the international box office, and the launch of Lionsgate Motion Picture in this key market is another sign of the franchise's continuing emergence as a truly global phenomenon."