Aquaman has been a roaring success since making its debut on China's silver screen on Friday, December 7, raking up USD93.6 million over the weekend. DC Films' action-packed movie ranks as the fourth-biggest launch for a superhero flick in China, with only Venom, which was released last month, and the two most recent Avengers movies earning more in their first weekend.
Image via Warner Bros./IMDB
Meanwhile, audiences in the US will have to wait until December 21 to catch the 'King of the Seven Seas' in action. In an unusual move, the film was released in the Chinese market first, as part of a strategic decision made by Warner Brothers to circumvent piracy issues and to avoid the slow period for US moviegoers between Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to New York Times.
Unlike the lackluster showing of Crazy Rich Asians in Chinese theaters last week, Aquaman brought in USD24 million on Friday, making it the biggest opening day in December for any Warner Brothers film in China.
The film was directed by James Wan, who has built himself a stellar reputation in the Middle Kingdom after directing Furious 7, which was a huge success in China. The Australian-born filmmaker attended a media event in Beijing last month, telling the audience about his interest in Chinese stories. According to Global Times, Wan noted “Journey to the West is my favorite. The Monkey King is a fantastic character and the philosophy behind this role is exciting. It is definitely something I will be very excited to potentially tackle one day.”
Image via @哦哦大货车考/Weibo
Netizens even chimed in about the movie resembling the Chinese classic Journey to the West. “When Aquaman’s mother said the trident was behind the waterfall, the plot started to feel quite familiar [to Journey to the West],” one person posted after watching the movie. Another netizen wrote, “sure enough, everyone thinks Aquaman resembles the Monkey King, When I watched the film I constantly felt like I was watching Journey to the West.”
[Cover image via Aquaman/IMDB]
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