The Indicator from Planet Money The story of China and Hollywood's big-screen romance
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Jul 16, 2025 Explore the fascinating history of Hollywood's relationship with China, from early admiration to complex collaborations. Discover how China's burgeoning middle class influences Hollywood revenues and the adaptations studios make to capture their attention. Dive into pivotal moments that shifted dynamics, particularly after 2008, affecting the types of films that attract audiences. Uncover the rising preference for domestic blockbusters over American superhero films and the evolving nature of cinematic partnerships between these two powerhouses.
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Early Hollywood Influence on China
- The US dominated box office revenue until China's rapid rise in movie spending.
- Early Chinese film industry initially modeled after Hollywood, appealing heavily to American imports.
Hollywood Banned in Mao Era
- After 1950, Chinese communist regime discredited Hollywood as unpatriotic.
- The film industry became state-run producing only party-approved films for decades.
The Fugitive Breaks Barriers
- The Fugitive was one of the first Hollywood films accepted in China in the early 1990s.
- China's urbanization and growing middle class fueled a growing appetite for Hollywood blockbusters.
