https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/02/media/top-gun-maverick-taiwan-flag-reinstated-intl-hnk/index.html
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is now showing Taiwan's official flag after an outcry, >putting its release in mainland China in jeopardy.
The box office mega-hit-- which is by far Tom Cruise's biggest-ever commercial >debut-- now features his character sporting the flag on his iconic bomber >jacket as it was in the original film, including in the version shown in >Taiwan.
Initially, the film's trailer in 2019 had shown otherwise. During the preview, >the patches on Cruise's jacket, which originally bore flags that represent >Taiwan and Japan, appeared to have been swapped out and replaced with two >ambiguous symbols in the same color scheme.
That omission had angered some critics, prompting speculation that the change >was made to appease Chinese censors and the film's Chinese backer, Tencent >(TCEHY). At the time, Tencent Pictures, a subsidiary of the Shenzhen-based >tech giant, was an investor in the highly anticipated sequel to the 1986 >classic.
Now, however, the company has pulled out. The Wall Street Journal reported >last week, citing unidentified sources, that Tencent had relinquished its role >as a financier of the film in late 2019, amid geopolitical concerns between >China and the United States.
The firm was worried about falling out of line with officials in Beijing for >promoting a movie that celebrated the American military as US-Chinese >relations soured, according to the report. Tencent and Paramount (PGRE) >Pictures, the studio behind the film, did not respond to a request for >comment.
China and Taiwan have a complex relationship. Beijing's communist leadership >has long claimed Taiwan, a self-governed democratic island, as part of its >territory, despite having never ruled over it. As part of its campaign, the >Chinese government has pressured multinational companies to refer to Taiwan as >a Chinese territory, in exchange for accessing its lucrative market.
The drive has been largely successful, with players like United Airlines >(UAL), Delta Airlines (DAL), Marriott (MAR), American Express (AXP), and >Goldman Sachs (GS) falling in line. Hollywood films have also been >increasingly censored over the years as China grew in importance to the global >box office.
Chinese and Japanese relations have also long been fraught, with tensions >flaring in recent years over disputed islands in the East China Sea. Now, the >film's update is likely to anger some fans and officials in mainland China.
"There's a high probability Beijing will ban the release and monetization of >TOP GUN in China," said Chris Fenton, former president of DMG Entertainment >and author of the book "Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion-Dollar Dilemma >Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business."
"There's also a probability the Chinese government will blackball the studio, >filmmakers, and actors from the market for an extended period of time," Fenton >added. "We've witnessed similar punishments in the past."
Since 2020, China's strict "zero COVID" restrictions have left many cinemas >shuttered for extended periods of time, including in Shanghai and Beijing. >That's in sharp contrast with how moviegoers elsewhere have recently flocked >back to theaters around the world.
Currently, TOP GUN: MAVERICK has not been released in mainland China, and does >not have a set opening date, but Fenton noted "that may have been a forgone >conclusion anyway," given the heightened geopolitical tensions between the >world's two largest economies.
"A film strongly promoting Western ideals and US military hegemony probably >never stood a chance for approval," he said. He also noted that the Chinese >film market has recently eschewed Hollywood movies in favor of other titles. >In recent months, patriotic propaganda war movies have topped the box office >domestically.
It's way past time we told the Chi-Comms to "screw off".
atropos@mac.com wrote:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/02/media/top-gun-maverick-taiwan-flag-reinstated-intl-hnk/index.html
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is now showing Taiwan's official flag after an outcry,
putting its release in mainland China in jeopardy.
The box office mega-hit-- which is by far Tom Cruise's biggest-ever commercial
debut-- now features his character sporting the flag on his iconic bomber
jacket as it was in the original film, including in the version shown in
Taiwan.
Initially, the film's trailer in 2019 had shown otherwise. During the preview,
the patches on Cruise's jacket, which originally bore flags that represent >> Taiwan and Japan, appeared to have been swapped out and replaced with two
ambiguous symbols in the same color scheme.
That omission had angered some critics, prompting speculation that the change
was made to appease Chinese censors and the film's Chinese backer, Tencent >> (TCEHY). At the time, Tencent Pictures, a subsidiary of the Shenzhen-based >> tech giant, was an investor in the highly anticipated sequel to the 1986
classic.
Now, however, the company has pulled out. The Wall Street Journal reported >> last week, citing unidentified sources, that Tencent had relinquished its role
as a financier of the film in late 2019, amid geopolitical concerns between >> China and the United States.
The firm was worried about falling out of line with officials in Beijing for >> promoting a movie that celebrated the American military as US-Chinese
relations soured, according to the report. Tencent and Paramount (PGRE)
Pictures, the studio behind the film, did not respond to a request for
comment.
China and Taiwan have a complex relationship. Beijing's communist leadership >> has long claimed Taiwan, a self-governed democratic island, as part of its >> territory, despite having never ruled over it. As part of its campaign, the >> Chinese government has pressured multinational companies to refer to Taiwan as
a Chinese territory, in exchange for accessing its lucrative market.
The drive has been largely successful, with players like United Airlines
(UAL), Delta Airlines (DAL), Marriott (MAR), American Express (AXP), and
Goldman Sachs (GS) falling in line. Hollywood films have also been
increasingly censored over the years as China grew in importance to the global
box office.
Chinese and Japanese relations have also long been fraught, with tensions
flaring in recent years over disputed islands in the East China Sea. Now, the
film's update is likely to anger some fans and officials in mainland China. >>
"There's a high probability Beijing will ban the release and monetization of >> TOP GUN in China," said Chris Fenton, former president of DMG Entertainment >> and author of the book "Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion-Dollar Dilemma
Facing Hollywood, the NBA, and American Business."
"There's also a probability the Chinese government will blackball the studio,
filmmakers, and actors from the market for an extended period of time," Fenton
added. "We've witnessed similar punishments in the past."
Since 2020, China's strict "zero COVID" restrictions have left many cinemas >> shuttered for extended periods of time, including in Shanghai and Beijing. >> That's in sharp contrast with how moviegoers elsewhere have recently flocked >> back to theaters around the world.
Currently, TOP GUN: MAVERICK has not been released in mainland China, and does
not have a set opening date, but Fenton noted "that may have been a forgone >> conclusion anyway," given the heightened geopolitical tensions between the >> world's two largest economies.
"A film strongly promoting Western ideals and US military hegemony probably >> never stood a chance for approval," he said. He also noted that the Chinese >> film market has recently eschewed Hollywood movies in favor of other titles. >> In recent months, patriotic propaganda war movies have topped the box office >> domestically.
It's way past time we told the Chi-Comms to "screw off".
--
Let's go Brandon!
Ubiquitous <weberm@polaris.net> wrote:
It's way past time we told the Chi-Comms to "screw off".
Let's put a high enough terriff on them that it's cheaper to build the
stuff here.
On 2022-06-06 at 12:30:13 MDT, "Ubiquitous" <weberm@polaris.net> wrote:
It's way past time we told the Chi-Comms to "screw off".
Yes, that time has indeed passed, considering that we are now economically >dependent on them.
In article <t7lq2m$p33$1@dont-email.me>, nmassello@yahoo.com wrote:
On 2022-06-06 at 12:30:13 MDT, "Ubiquitous" <weberm@polaris.net> wrote:Trump was working on that, but alas, the Dems and Never-Trumpers undid it.
It's way past time we told the Chi-Comms to "screw off".Yes, that time has indeed passed, considering that we are now
economically dependent on them.
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