news culture Marvel: After 3 years of censorship, the MCU will make a comeback
As MCU Phase 5 gets ready to kick off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a country will once again screen these superhero movies. Excellent news for Disney, which will be able to broadcast its productions in this country renowned for its number of spectators.
Summary
- After the banishment, the return of the MCU
- What were the causes of this censorship?
After the banishment, the return of the MCU
That’s it, after having completely disappeared from the cinematographic landscape of the country, MCU films will once again be able to be shown in China from February. This is announced by the official account of Marvel Studios on the Chinese social network Weibo. The first two feature films to benefit from the end of this ban are the last two that have or will be screened, namely Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The first will be released on February 7 in Chinese cinemas, while the second will be released in theaters ten days later, on February 17.
In the past, Black Widow Was The First In A Long Line Of MCU Movies Not To Be Released In China. Since Spider-Man: Far From Home released in 2019, Chinese audiences have not been able to watch any Marvel movies in theaters. In total, this therefore makes six films which had to deprive themselves of a large number of spectators, starting with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which could not exceed one billion dollars in box office revenue for this raison. Among these feature films that could not be broadcast, some had something to please the Chinese market, starting with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings which featured an Asian cast (including well-known actors like Michelle Yeoh or Tony Leung Chiu-wai) in an adventure inspired by Chinese mythology where martial arts play a central role.
What were the causes of this censorship?
To explain this banishment of more than four years, several tracks are put forward without having for the moment real official reasons advanced. First of all, in 2021, the Chinese government took the decision to limit the distribution of foreign films within the country to give priority to local productions in cinemas. Then, old words from Chloé Zhao, Chinese director who received the Oscar for best director and best film for Nomadland, can also explain this decision on the part of the Chinese authorities.
In 2021, the latter was also the director of Eternals, an MCU film which depicts an ancient linked alien race who came to earth with the mission of exterminating the Deviants. But during the promotion of the feature film, director’s remarks about China and dating from 2013 have resurfaced and the government would not have liked it. In an interview with Deadline, Chloe Zhao reportedly said the country is “a place where there are lies everywhere”. Because of this, authorities reportedly kept The Eternals out of China, along with all of the other Marvel movies that followed.
To unblock this situation, it looks like Bob Iger’s return as Disney CEO played a big role. Throughout his post between 2005 and 2020, the latter had maintained good relations with China, something that his successor, Bob Chapek, may not have succeeded in doing, who only held this position from 2020 to 2022. In the meantime, for us other French viewers, we remind you that the MCU sequel will be viewable at the cinema, with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania on February 15.
