Global reactions emerge as China scales back on U.S. films

China's recent move to reduce the number of U.S. films imported into its theaters has triggered swift reactions from both international media and audiences.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that while Hollywood films once enjoyed significant success in China, "earnings in China have declined drastically in recent years as local tastes have shifted away from Hollywood franchise spectacle toward the country's homegrown Chinese-language blockbusters." It also pointed out that losing access to such a massive market "could still ding the studio's bottom lines," underscoring the lingering importance of Chinese box office returns to Hollywood's global revenue.

The Guardian emphasized the scale of the impact, describing Thursday's policy shift as "a significant blow to western studios." Citing Bloomberg, the article reported that shares of major film companies including Walt Disney Co., Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. all saw immediate declines in value.

The decision also sparked online discussions among international audiences. A commenter named jackcousteau on American technology news website The Verge remarked, "Bummer, viewers in China will miss out on an epic low in American film, recycled ideas, empty plots, and endless marketing."

Responding to a claim that U.S. theaters rarely show Chinese films, a user named B1G_Mac pointed out: "I wouldn't say that. Ne Zha 2 is the 20th highest-grossing 2025 movie in the U.S. and Canada (out of 125 released so far) and made more than half of all Best Picture nominees."

These contrasting views highlight the shift as a reflection of larger trends already underway – that movie tastes and industry focus are changing in the world's major film markets.