The little yellow minions of Despicable Me 2 will not be making an official appearance on the mainland.
Despicable Me 2, the sequel to Universal Pictures’ animated 2010 hit, has been banned from opening in Chinese theatres, film site TheWrap confirmed. Despite positive critical reception and a successful run in Hong Kong cinemas, the animated movie has been denied a spot amongst the 34 places available for foreign films in the Chinese box office. The reasons behind this decision are currently unknown, but The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film might have been banned to make more room for China’s domestic animated features. Despicable Me 2 had also possibly been denied entry into the Chinese market because its “style was not suitable for mainland children,” Sina News reported.
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Ironically, Despicable Me 2 was the subject of a Beijing Youth Daily article on July 23 that took notice of the film’s US box office success and said that it was “hopeful” for the film’s chances of being released in mainland cinemas. This stamp of approval from state media seems to have done little good, and Chinese netizens were quick to take to the internet to complain about the film’s ban.
“Why would the movie not be suitable for mainland children?” one puzzled commentator wrote on Sina Weibo. “The main character is a positive father figure and the movie is full of good messages.”
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“I waited so long and hoped to see this in the theatre,” another poster wrote. “Are there bloody or inappropriate scenes in the film? No! The Chinese film screening committee is just making up shameless excuses!”
The yellow minions of 'Despicable Me 2' are popular in China. Photo: AP
