China Lunar New Year film launches scrapped over Wuhan virus outbreak, in blow to cinemas, which make 10 per cent of their takings over 16-day holiday
- Seven films that had been heavily promoted ahead of the holiday, the most lucrative time of the year for distributors and cinema operators, have been pulled
- Government had earlier warned the public to avoid crowded places amid the fast developing outbreak, which has killed at least 17 people and infected hundreds
Producers of at least seven movies scheduled to open in Chinese cinemas at Lunar New Year this weekend have delayed their release because of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.
All the films had been heavily promoted ahead of the holiday, the most lucrative period of the year for cinema operators and the Chinese film industry.
The Chinese government has warned the public to avoid crowded places amid the fast developing outbreak, which has killed at least 17 people and infected hundreds more.
The seven movies are Lost in Russia, Leap, Vanguard, Detective Chinatown 3, Boonie Bears: The Wild Life, The Rescue, and Legend of Deification.
The promoter of Leap, directed by Hong Kong director Peter Ho-sun Chan and starring Gong Li and telling the story of the Chinese women's national volleyball team over 40 years, told the Post a new opening date for the film would be released later.
In a statement, the promoter said: “A war to fight the coronavirus is happening across China … Movies are just a small part of life … After concerns that cinemas, being sealed spaces, could contribute to the risk of the virus spreading, we decided to suspend plans to show the film.”