Promotional material of The Flash Photo: Sina Weibo

Since mid-May, nine Hollywood films have been set to be released in the Chinese mainland. On Thursday, it was announced that Barbie will soon make its way to the mainland, although an official premiere date has not yet been determined. Mission: Impossible 7 is scheduled to hit theaters in the mainland on July 14, while The Flash and Pixar's Elemental are set for Friday.

Many Chinese film insiders call the time between the May Day Holidays and the summer vacation the "foreign language film period," or "Hollywood film period." Following the release of Disney's The Little Mermaid on May 26, four other Hollywood films were released in the mainland one after another, refuting some Western media's untrue notions that China is suppressing Hollywood's influence in its film industry. On the contrary, the Chinese film market, a large and healthy market, welcomes them. However, it is a fact that Hollywood's ability to win the hearts of Chinese moviegoers is growing weak.

For example, The Little Mermaid only grossed 26.33 million yuan ($3.68 million) after 21 days in theaters. The lackluster performance of the film at the Chinese box office underscores the importance of innovation and fresh storytelling instead of relying solely on established IPs. The film's "fatal" flaw lies in its conservative and outdated storytelling, which shows no essential innovation compared to the animated version 34 years ago.

The sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 enjoyed great reviews with an 8.3/10 on Chinese review site Douban, the best rating for Marvel since Avengers: Endgame. However, its box-office performance was unremarkable, only breaking 600 million yuan 42 days after its release.

The decline of Hollywood blockbusters' popularity among Chinese audiences is an often-discussed topic, and recent box-office numbers seem to confirm this trend. However, this does not mean that the market does not need Hollywood films anymore. From a business perspective, blockbuster films with big budget visuals still offer good value and commercial benefits. Meanwhile, several upcoming Hollywood films scheduled for release challenge the notion that China is suppressing Hollywood's influence on its film industry.

Many Chinese moviegoers who have watched Fast X and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts commented that "they are cool enough that you don't need to think while watching them," indicating these films are pure popcorn movies. The studios behind these films have figured out a path forward: as long as they add basic elements, such as some nostalgic scenes, the films can keep attracting audiences, and therefore the studios can keep producing sequels.

The success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse demonstrates how taking risks and experimenting with different art styles can pay off. However, even this film, despite its accomplishments, does have certain clichéd elements, such as its parent-child plot.

It's no secret that the Chinese market has become increasingly important to Hollywood studios, but declining ticket sales for Hollywood blockbusters in China demonstrate that simply relying on established franchises and special effects is no longer sufficient.

In contrast, Japanese anime films like Suzume and The First Slam Dunk have become surprise hits in China, highlighting the importance of fresh storytelling and innovative approaches. This is not to say that Hollywood should abandon big-budget special effect films altogether, but rather that studios need to be more creative and take more risks if they want to succeed in China's evolving cinema landscape.

Overall, while Hollywood may be struggling to win over Chinese audiences with their traditional formula, there is still hope for future success if they can adapt to changing tastes and deliver innovative, compelling stories. As the Chinese market continues to grow in importance in the world, it's clear that Hollywood studios cannot afford to rest on their laurels and must continue to push boundaries and take risks in order to capture the attention of increasingly discerning Chinese audiences.

If Hollywood continues to rely on old IP productions, it will only cool the passion of movie fans, and eventually there will be a day when the Chinese audience's patience is exhausted.