China to get its own version of Iron Man 3
Chinese variation features actress Fan Bingbing and will have bonus footage for viewers in China
Walt Disney will release a separate version of its Marvel comic-book movie Iron Man 3 on the mainland, an unexpected plot twist for Hollywood's most prominent collaboration yet in the country.
The film, set to debut in the US on May 3, was partly filmed in China with partner DMG Entertainment.
A release date for the mainland version was not announced.
The decision, just over a month before Iron Man 3 is set to kick off the US summer movie season, hints at the challenges confronting Hollywood studios as they expand in China's government-controlled market, which surpassed Japan last year as the biggest box office outside the US.
The first two Iron Man movies grossed a total US$1.21 billion worldwide.
The studio won't comment beyond the statement about the reasons for the decision, differences between the two versions or when the Chinese movie will be released, Melissa Zukerman of Principal Communications Group, a spokeswoman for Marvel Studios, said.