- Modest Interest in Walt Disney Mulan at China

Disney gift cards “Mulan,” the controversial Walt Disney Co. film about a girl who fights as a man to save her father and country, took in a lackluster $23.2 million during its debut in Chinese theaters.

Ho-hum interest in Mulan may not be an indictment of the movie, however, as much as it is an indictment of the relatively high price Disney was seeking for a digital rental of the film. Other studios and distributors likely just learned that not even the highest of high-profile studios can command $30 for online access to a new feature film.

There may be other reasons for the film not to have done well in China. It doesn’t seem to have resonated particularly with young adult filmgoers there who reviewed it poorly online. Since it was released earlier online, pirated copies may also have eaten into theater ticket sales.

The debut of the film in China, “though lower than may have been expected given the lofty expectations placed on the film, illustrates how an unpredictable marketplace” can impact a film’s performance, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst of Comscore in an emailed statement. He cited the movie’s altered release strategies and recent controversies as uncertain factors and suggested to “let some time pass before we can truly evaluate ‘Mulan’s’ box office success.”

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