With the welcome news for Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions that its sci-fi blockbuster sequel/reboot Terminator Genisys had become a big hit at the Chinese box office over the past couple of weeks, news today claims the film may be a victim of box office fraud.
When Genisys was released in China on August 28th, it was up against Chinese propaganda film The Hundred Regiments Offensive, but some of the CEO’s of China’s largest private film studios have suggested that the box office takings may not be what they seem. The Chinese film grossed $39.4 million over the week 31st August to September 6th compared to Genisys‘ $26.6 million, with the government suggesting that patriotism is to thank for the film’s results.
However, Regiments opened with fewer screenings than Terminator (99,728 compared to 250,435), suggesting that the film had a phenomenal per-screen average gross or something fishy is going on.
Adding to the “scandal”, heads of China’s two biggest independent film companies have taken to social media avenues to claim that Regiments “stole” the box office from both Terminator and their own films. “Where’s all the box office gone? Please keep those dirty hands away!” posted Wang Zhonglei, president of studio Huayi Brothers, whose romantic drama Tale of Three Cities also seemingly suffered.
And Yu Dong, CEO of Bona Film Group, wrote on WeChat: “We never steal others’ box office, so please don’t steal ours” – speaking about their detective film, The Dead End, also released around the same time.
What’s more, some rumours suggest that when cinema-goers bought their Terminator tickets, cinema employees logged the sale of the tickets for Regiments while ushers are said to have changed the name of the tickets from Terminator to Regiments, with some video footage of this apparently doing the rounds on social media.
Terminator reportedly stands to miss out on around $11 million, but given the film has taken a huge $111.9 million in China since its release, Paramount and Skydance may not be too worried given that its Chinese box-office haul has helped the film to its new worldwide total of $435 million.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=qvTY7eXXIMg
Originally published September 8, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
