Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

The recent revelation of the new regulations from the Pentagon, which state it will refuse to provide assistance to Hollywood film producers who agree to "censorship" conditions laid down by China, demonstrates the firm stance and "intimate relationship" between the US government and movie production.

In 2022, a documentary titled Theaters of War: How the Pentagon and CIA took Hollywood exposed the extensive intervention of the Pentagon and CIA in Hollywood war films, spy movies, and political films throughout history. According to the documentary, numerous films were unable to be released due to their inability to meet the requirements imposed by the Pentagon, while only those that complied with the demands could secure cooperation and release. 

As evidenced by the facts, the sequel to Top Gun, which unfortunately failed to break free from its conventional framework, continues to glorify war and wrap violence in a seductive package, just as it did in the 1980s. Unquestionably, the producers of Top Gun: Maverick utilized US aircraft carriers, naval air bases, and a range of F-14s and other fighter jets. The Pentagon's database records provide clear evidence of their support for this film franchise. For instance, support for the first film aimed to "restore the image of the military damaged by the Vietnam War." Some media outlets have commented that the Pentagon has long been waging a full-spectrum propaganda campaign targeting Western audiences, enticing them to support aggressive and globally oriented US militarism.

Therefore, this so-called new regulation is nothing more than business as usual with the Pentagon.

The Pentagon believes that Hollywood films that comply with "Chinese censorship" align with Chinese policy. Based on their extreme "either-or" thinking, anything that aligns with Chinese policy is perceived as contradicting or opposing US ideology, leading to the addition of such a peculiar rule.

According to statistics from the documentary, the Pentagon has intervened in over 2,500 films since World War II. Particularly after 9/11 in 2001, military films have glorified the US military and promoted patriotism, nationalism, and territorial narratives. It was around that time that Hollywood films flooded into the Chinese market, coinciding with significant market-oriented reforms in the Chinese film industry. After 20 years of effort, China has become the world's second-largest box office and an indispensable player in Hollywood's global strategy. However, when economic interests clash with the ideological agenda of the Pentagon, the latter prioritizes ideology.

The new regulation proves once again Hollywood is a propaganda arm of the US government used to trumpet its global hegemonic policy, and the US government has always wanted to shape Hollywood's "freedom of expression." For decades, Hollywood has narrated the US' official stance and US military-dominated global order to world audiences. However, they should realize that this prime time has passed and that it will cost Hollywood more to dance to the tune of the US government.

In recent years, Hollywood films have been evidently less appealing in the Chinese market due to the increased scarcity of good storytelling, while the strengthening of political correctness has made Hollywood's US values become flavorless. Consequently, those released in China have not performed well at the box office.

So far in 2023, Fast & Furious 10 is the only Hollywood film to surpass the $100 million mark in the Chinese mainland. Even big-budget blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which performed exceptionally well in the North American market, did not achieve similar success. Media outlets have previously reported that the market share of English-language films represented by Hollywood in China has significantly declined, dropping from 53 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2021.

Film distribution is meant to be a form of cultural exchange between ­China and the US, which can be mutually beneficial. Chinese audiences can enjoy high-quality Hollywood films while Hollywood can earn substantial revenue through film releases in China.

However, the Pentagon insists on politicizing this collaboration, which leaves Hollywood with no choice but to comply. The Pentagon censors the creation of films, and sets Hollywood against the Chinese film market. If strictly enforced, the new regulations will force US production companies to make choices when important commercial genres of films such as war films, spy movies, and political films conflict with US military narratives. But the companies will find increasing disparity between the US dominance in their films and the real-life situation.