'Spider-Man', 'Valerian' And Other Films Get Delayed Releases In China

China's media regulators delayed the release dates for "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, " "War of the Planet of the Apes," and "Dunkirk" Thursday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. China's delay suggested that another ice-out of Hollywood film imports is approaching.

As the second largest film market behind North America, China is an important component to a successful box office run for major Hollywood imports. The delay could reportedly cost the films millions, which would be an upset during the most profitable box office season.

Read: 'Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets': What Do Critics Think?

"Spider-Man" debuted July 7 and exceeded box office expectations as it raked in a reported $117 million in its opening weekend. However, the box office numbers would have been higher if China were included.

North American and Chinese film market release dates typically coincide, allowing for same-day releases or American debuts that follow shortly after in China. Hollywood's biggest motion pictures generally follow this pattern, but "Spider-Man" will not see a speedy premiere as a result of China's delay. "Apes" — which opens Friday — will suffer the same fate, with "Valerian" to follow on July 21. Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" is also expected to undergo the same process because a China debut has not been confirmed ahead of its July 19 North American release.

Rob Cain, a partner in film co-production company Pacific Bridge Pictures, has worked in the entertainment industry for over 25 years. His work has expanded to China, where he provides financial and strategic advisory services. Cain provided insight on the Chinese film market to International Business Times, confirming the fate for three of the most anticipated summer titles in China.

"It's still early for Hollywood films to be receiving their post-blackout release dates," Cain said. "The end of the blackout is still six weeks away, and I expect we'll be hearing about the dates for 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' and 'War for the Planet of the Apes' in the next few weeks.'"

The fate of "Valerian" is less certain, according to Cain. Since the Dane Dehaan and Cara Delevinge sci-fi picture is not backed by a "major studio," the chances of the film receiving a Chinese release date are slimmer.

Read: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Will Feature These ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Stars

"'Valerian' should get authorization too, especially since it's distributor STX is backed by Chinese money,'" he added. "But to my mind, it is the most likely of the three not to receive a revenue-sharing slot because it doesn't come from a major studio."

STX Entertainment has found success with titles "The Edge of Seventeen" and "Bad Moms" in 2016, but it's still a newcomer to the film industry, with only three years of work under its belt.

Sony Pictures ("Spider-Man") and 20th Century Fox ("Apes") landed a spot on 2016's highest-grossing studios in the international box office, according to Deadline. It would be a gamble to allocate screens towards a newcomer, especially after "Valerian" has received mixed-to-negative reviews leading into its U.S. debut. It currently holds a 67 percent on Rotten Tomatoes aggregator scale, a decrease from the movie's initial 74 percent Tuesday.

Hollywood isn't having success in China lately, despite "Wonder Woman" being an exception to the same-day debut.

How did China become a key player in the film industry? China possesses the most movie screens in the world, which is a big factor, according to the New York Times. And Buzzfeed reported in June that several blockbuster-bait flicks were saved by the Chinese box office, including "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" ($172 million) and "Transformers: The Last Knight" ($123 million).

China's shut down on Hollywood's summer imports could be lifted sooner than expected, however. According to 2016 report from THR, the 2016 blackout was lifted early because of a shift in regulations that followed a June 19 to August 23 stretch. For now, the release dates for some of Hollywood's most profitable summer pictures will remain uncertain.

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