Hong Kong CNN –
In recent years, China’s box office has been dominated by domestic films, often with a nationalist edge, such as patriotic war epics. But this weekend, a different kind of movie caught national attention — one that’s distinctly American and bubblegum pink.
According to Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan, “Barbie” has grossed nearly 86 million yuan (about $11.9 million) in China since its release on Friday, ranking third among all films nationwide.
While that number is small compared to the smashing success of “Barbie” in the US – the film grossed $155 million domestically over the weekend – it could still rise as discussion of the film gathers momentum on social media. On Saturday, it was briefly the top trending topic on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo, racking up more than 630 million views.
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Fans pass a poster of “Barbie” at a cinema in Shanghai, China on July 22.
“Barbie” was distributed by Warner Bros., which is owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
On Douban, a popular Chinese film review site, the film is currently rated 8.6 out of 10, with almost half of all viewers giving it full marks. The comments section also received glowing praise for the film’s themes of femininity and feminism and its deft handling of director Greta Gerwig, also known for Lady Bird and Little Women.
Several reviewers called the film a breath of fresh air and compared it to some Chinese films that still deal with outdated gender roles and the distorted male gaze.
“You know, Chinese women don’t get many chances to see a quality female-focused film in theaters,” read one comment with more than 20,000 likes.
Another top comment compared “Barbie” to another recent Chinese release, “Lost in the Stars,” which had previously been criticized for its portrayal of gender stereotypes. “Lost in the Stars” shows “false feminism from a male point of view”, while “Barbie” shows “feminism from the different perspectives of real women directors”, according to the comment with more than 18,000 likes.
Others reflected on the reality Chinese women face, and one wryly noted that unlike the US, China doesn’t even pretend not to be a patriarchy.
However, some also accused “Barbie” of only promoting superficial feminism, pointing out that the doll-like character of the title character could further perpetuate existing beauty norms. “There is no new thinking about feminism, the film is just an expression of old thoughts,” one person wrote of Douban.
Feminist movements in China have suffered numerous setbacks over the years due to censorship and the ongoing crackdown on activism. But it has also remained resilient; A series of #MeToo-related controversies and sexual assault allegations have sparked waves of heated debate online, with women and supporters denouncing China’s entrenched gender inequality and patriarchal society.
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A promotion for “Barbie”, pictured on a giant screen outside a shopping mall in Beijing on July 20.
Apparently, “Barbie” inadvertently satisfied a desire to better represent women and achieve gender equality on screen – even to the surprise of Chinese cinemas and promoters.
On Friday, the day of the premiere, “Barbie” screenings accounted for only 2.4% of all screenings, according to Maoyan, which may be due to low expectations of audience appetites; In comparison, the Chinese film “Advancing of ZQ” accounted for 36.8% of all screenings.
But public interest grew. The film had a seat rating of 21.6% on Friday, meaning that theatrical screenings were 21.6% booked – a high figure considering most films only see a rating of several percentage points. According to Maoyan, as of Monday, cinemas had increased the number of “Barbie” screenings to 8.7% of all screenings.
The film’s success is all the more remarkable as it is becoming increasingly difficult for US films to gain a foothold in the Chinese film market – the world’s second-largest, which briefly held the top spot during the Covid pandemic.
China’s box office has become more isolated and tightly regulated in recent years. All films shown publicly in China require regulatory approval, with authorities cracking down on films they deem inappropriate.
Though Hollywood has long sought to appease Chinese censorship, many film studios have begun to reconsider that compromise, and some have decided to keep scenes that might anger censorship – meaning many US blockbusters have disappeared from Chinese theaters.
For example, seven of Marvel’s recent films weren’t shown in China — meaning that no Marvel films were released in the country for four years, until China allowed the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in February of this year.