"Warcraft's" paltry domestic box office return of $24 million over its opening weekend would lead you to believe that the Duncan Jones helmed blockbuster was the latest in a long line of video-game adaptations to have faltered, but that only tells 1/16th of the story. Because while "Warcraft" has floundered in the US, it has grossed $280.5 million internationally, and in China alone it has brought in $156.8 million in just five days. "Warcraft" is now even expected to seriously challenge the $390 million amassed by "Furious 7" in the territory, which made it the highest grossing Hollywood movie ever in China.
China has firmly become a key market for Hollywood studios. Currently it's the second largest box office in the world, but it's expected that the country's revenue will surpass that of the United States at some point in 2017 to make it numero uno. Still, that doesn't mean that their audiences actually have good taste. Because several Hollywood blockbusters that were critically savaged and rejected by US audiences have prospered amongst the nation's 1.3 million inhabitants, and we've gathered up the heavy hitters.
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"Warcraft"
U.S. Box Office Total: $24.3 million
China Box Office Total: $156 million
Rotten Tomato Score: 29%
"Warcraft's" success in China shouldn't come as much of a surprise. While American audiences were nonplussed by its release, the fact that half of "Warcraft's" five million players were based in China meant that it was always going to garner interest. Especially since the majority of these players are aged between 18-35, a demographic that usually has plenty of money to spend especially on such cinematic frivolities. Its release was also timed to coincide with the Dragon Boat Festival, which is a public holiday held in China.
"Transformers: Age Of Extinction"
U.S. Box Office Total: $245 million
China Box Office Total: $320 million
Rotten Tomato Score: 18%
The "Transformers" franchise has always appealed to Chinese audiences. Over the course of four films, its China box office has made up $588.1 million of its $3.7 billion total. With "Age Of Extinction," Paramount firmly aimed the film towards China. Not only did they set the final third of it in the country and Hong Kong (shooting some sequences there but Chicago and Detroit were mostly used as stand-ins, respectively), but Olympic wrestler Zou Shiming, singer and actor Han Geng and Li Bingbing were added to the cast, too. Plus, there was Chinese product placement, most laughably when Mark Wahlbeg tried to use a China Construction Bank ATM in Texas, while the Communist regime's officials are shown to be much more competent than their American counterparts, too.
"Terminator Genisys"
U.S. Box Office Total: $89 million
China Box Office Total: $113 million
Rotten Tomato Score: 26%
Most moviegoers were disappointed with the fourth installment to the "Terminator" franchise, which was released last summer to paltry domestic numbers. However, its international figures, especially in China, still means there is life in the franchise, yet. The appeal of both the "Terminator" brand, as well as the popularity of a returning Arnold Schwarzenegger, were seen as the biggest reasons for "Genisys'" triumph. "Genisys'" receipts were also boosted because it was the first film to be released following China's two-month "blackout period," which sees foreign films banned to assist local releases.
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