‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Win China Release Approval Despite Trade Tensions, Report Suggests

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Recently, ‘How to Train Your Dragon‘ and ‘Lilo & Stitch’ have been given approval for screening in China, which suggests that Beijing is still allowing significant American movies to be shown there, even amidst continuing trade disagreements between the U.S. and China.

The Walt Disney Company has received permission from Beijing to simultaneously release its live-action version of “Lilo & Stitch” along with Pixar’s animated film “Elio” in Chinese cinemas, according to sources familiar with the situation, as reported by Bloomberg. Additionally, a third Disney movie, Marvel’s superhero film “Thunderbolts,” premiered in China on Wednesday.

According to unnamed sources who spoke with Bloomberg, DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon,” distributed by Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures, has reportedly received approval from the government-affiliated film certification body. The studio is expected to disclose the official release date in mainland China within the next few weeks.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to report that approval ratings are soaring at a pivotal time when film studios are gearing up for their summer blockbusters. This surge suggests a robust commitment to cinema, seemingly undeterred by China’s recent decision to slightly restrict the number of American films entering the country in retaliation to tariffs initiated by President Donald Trump.

Leading production companies are still pushing forward with Chinese premieres; it was just announced that Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has applied to release “F1”, while Paramount Global is waiting on approval for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”, according to reports from Bloomberg.

Upon being contacted, the China Film Administration didn’t provide an immediate response to Bloomberg’s query, while all four studios chose not to offer any comments.

During an interview on Bloomberg TV on Monday, Imax Corp CEO Rich Gelfond dismissed rumors of a Hollywood blackout as a “misleading storyline.” He argued that the idea of significant reductions in major American blockbusters was baseless. Previously, Gelfond had indicated that China’s restrictions might primarily affect lower-budget movies with limited blockbuster prospects.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve noticed that China has been steadily challenging Hollywood’s reign as the world’s leading cinematic force. The U.S., of course, still holds the top spot, but local Chinese productions like “Ne Zha 2” are gaining significant traction among viewers during festivals such as Lunar New Year. Despite this, China continues to be a lucrative market for studios, contributing around 10% of the international opening weekend earnings for blockbusters like “A Minecraft Movie.

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2025-04-30 15:46