“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” broke box-office records in the U.S. when it opened last week by earning $155 million during its first three days of weekend exhibition. In China, the franchise “Star Wars” film would premiere on Jan. 6.
Distributors of the standalone movie hope to duplicate the box-office record established in the U.S. by holding a limited exhibition and star-meet activity in China on Tuesday and Wednesday. The distributors are also banking on the key roles played by two Chinese actors in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” to reverse the declining box-office receipt in the second-largest film market in the world.
Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen almost rejected the role of the blind monk Chirrut Imwe because the shooting would mean being away from his family for several months. Also playing a key role in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is Chinese actor Jiang Wen who portrays the soldier Baze Malbus.
Among those who attended the advanced screening of the movie on Tuesday, dianying wanjia, a Chinese netizen, gave the film a four and a half stars rating. He wrote in a Sina Weibo post that Chinese moviegoers are expecting a lot from Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” He described Chirrut Imwe’s fight against the stormtroopers using a staff as fantastic, Global Times reported.
After Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen – who starred in “Ip Man” – is the second famous Chinese action star. Some Chinese think including the two Chinese actors in the movie intended to draw more Chinese moviegoers to cinemas.
Since its release on Dec. 16, the film has earned $388.2 million globally and helped make Disney the first studio to breach $7 billion box-office receipts in one year, according to Entertainment Weekly.