Between 2012 and 2016, one hundred and forty-five films from Hollywood’s “Big Six” studios were released in China. (2012 marked the inauguration of China’s current annual revenue-sharing import quota of thirty-four foreign films per year.)
In that time, Disney has been by far the most successful performer, thanks largely to its Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney titles have grossed RMB 13.63 billion ($1.97 billion at current exchange rates), for a per-title average of RMB 486 million ($70 million); Sony trails in last with just a third of Disney’s total—its only popular franchise in the middle kingdom is 007.
(All above referenced totals derive from revenue-sharing import quota films and not official co-production or flat-fee buyout deals; therefore, actual studio revenue can be reckoned as a straight 25% share of reported box office gross.)
