China is planning to reduce how many Hollywood movies made in America get released there, which will greatly impact the 2025box officedepending on how long it lasts. Over the last decade or so, Hollywood watched as the appetite for American movies grew in China alongside the blossoming theater industry abroad. The country became such a pivotal force that many studios began shaping movies to appeal to Chinese audiences in some fashion. Major franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Transformers, andFast & Furiousespecially found massive success there.
With Chinese audiences showing their level of interest once again in 2025 withNe Zha 2’s record-breaking box office, Hollywood began looking toward its summer blockbusters that could also benefit substantially from a release in China.Captain America: Brave New WorldandA Minecraft Moviehave already come out there this year, and more American movies will follow. There’s now a problem building for Hollywood. China has confirmed plans to reduce the number of American-made movies released this year. That’s a big deal becauseChina’s government already limits which movies get releasedthere.
China Is Cutting Down On More Hollywood Movies In Response To Donald Trump’s Tariffs
A Full Ban Is Not In Place
Reports about China potentially limiting the American movies that release in the country the rest of this year first surfaced on August 11, 2025 viaBloombergandThe Hollywood Reporter. It was reported that China was considering its retaliation to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which put a 54% tariff on all Chinese goods, with a threat to raise that figure to 104% if China matched tariffs on American products. One of the moves being considered was"reducing or banning the import of U.S. films.“This immediately caught Hollywood’s attention, but there was still a chanceChina’s Hollywood bannever happened.
That all changed on the morning of July 13, 2025. The Chinese Film Administration confirmed areduction in American movies being importedgoing forward. This came in response to Trump pausing tariffs for many countries but raising China’s to 125%. The CFA issued the following statement in conjunction with the announcement:“The wrong action of the U.S. government to abuse tariffs on China will inevitably further reduce the domestic audience’s favorability towards American films. We will follow the market rules, respect the audience’s choice, and moderately reduce the number of American films imported.”
This confirms a reduction is happening, but a complete Hollywood ban is not in effect. At least not yet.Thunderbolts*was confirmed for a Chinese release just the day beforethe initial reports of potential Hollywood movie reductions. It has not been stated that any movies already confirmed for Chinese releases will get those dates revoked. Essentially, this is a bigger deal for other upcoming American movies that were still waiting for approval to be released in China. Whether they will depends on how long the reduction is in place and whether tariff wars continue.
China’s Box Office Importance Has Declined In Recent Years For Hollywood
China Used To Have A Much Bigger Impact On American Movies
China is the second-largest box office territory in the world, and Hollywood had to react to that years ago. The relationship between Chinese audiences and American movies is a lot different now. China remains a place where Hollywood films can make hundreds of millions of dollars if everything goes the right way.Butonly two of the highest-grossing American movies in China have come out in the last five years.Most pre-date the pandemic, which is where the shift really solidified.
24 of China’s top 50 highest-grossing movies in history were Chinese-made and came out in the last five years
Chinese audiences will still help turn the occasional American movie into a hit in the Middle Kingdom, but they are more so interested in seeing movies made for them. 24 of China’s top 50 highest-grossing movies in history were Chinese-made and came out in the last five years. This includes the record-shattering performance ofNe Zha 2. The animated sequel obliterated box office records, making over $2 billion in China alone.No 2025 movie has even come close to making $100 million in Chinaso far.
With China now making their own movies that dominate the box office, there’s less of a need for American movies. Interest has seemingly declined in many instances as a result.Godzilla x Kong: The New Empirewas Hollywood’s biggest hit in China last year, as it topped out at $132 million. That was a sharp decrease fromGodzilla vs. Kong’s $188 million haul in China just three years earlier.Fast Xalso topped the China box office for America in 2023 at $139 million, butF9made $219 million two years before.
The Limitations Could Be Felt More In 2025
Image via Universal Pictures
American movies might not have as big of an upside in China as they did a few years ago, but a complete Hollywood ban would be catastrophic. There would be hundreds of millions of dollars in box office revenue lost across several movies that studios were banking on. In an age where budgets are already high and every dollar counts, a few pricier films may be planning on China to help make them profitable.
China is still a territory that can turn moderate hits into major success stories.Avengers: Endgameholds the record for the highest-grossing American movie in China, as it made $632 million there alone.The Fate of the Furiousis the second-biggest American release there, and its $392 million performance helped the movie cross the $1 billion mark worldwide. If movies want to make $1 billion, a Chinese release is usually a huge help.Spider-Man: No Way HomeandInside Out 2are the only movies in the top 10 all-time box office ranks that didn’t make at least $100 million in China.
It’s another roadblock for the industry to battle through after making it through a pandemic and multiple strikes
This means that there could be additional, unplanned pressure on several 2025 movies to perform well domestically and in other international territories if they are not allowed to play in China. Since the tariffs go well beyond Hollywood, this factor is entirely out of the control of studios. It’s another roadblock for the industry to battle through after making it through a pandemic and multiple strikes that could bring further scrutiny on the box office overall.
What 2025 Movies Will Be Most Impacted At The Box Office By A China Ban
Some Of The Year’s Biggest Releases Stand To Lose The Most
Following reports that the American film reduction in China is in effect, several notable blockbusters are left with uncertain futures. It’s too early to know for certain which titles will be kept out of China and which will be let in. But, some of2025’s most anticipated moviesstand to lose the most. Titles likeA Minecraft Moviealready playing in China should not be impacted by the new reduction and will have the ability to continue adding to their box office hauls.
Avatar: Fire and Ashis one that could be tremendously hurt by a potential ban from China. James Cameron’s original movie has made over $260 million in China over the years, whileAvatar: The Way of Watermade $245 million alone. With the high costs associated with the sequel,Avatar 3could use another $200M+ performance in China to live up to box office expectations. The sequel could benefit from its December release date in this regard, as the tariff disputes could be solved long before a decision needs to be made here.
Movies that have more pressing issues includeJurassic World: RebirthandMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.The previous threeJurassic Worldmovies made $228 million, $261 million, and $157 million in China.Jurassic World Rebirthis certainly counting on another $100M or more to come from there. Meanwhile, beforeMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning’s disappointing $48 million haul in China, Tom Cruise’s franchise rattled off three straight $100M+ performers. Paramount is hoping the eighth film gets closer to those figures surely.
SupermanandThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsare also holding their breaths that a Chinese release will be granted. Superhero movies don’t always hit there, but they can be massively successful when accepted.Zootopia 2is also in need of China’s release after the first film made $236 million there. If China and the United States can come to some agreement on tariffs in the near future, the potentialbox officedoom of this American movie reduction could largely be avoided.
