For years analysts have breathlessly insisted China would become the largest movie market in the very near future. Well, last year after North American movie theatres spent most of 2020 shuttered, China did manage to become the top earner and did so primarily with local content. However, after COVID gave it a win with an asterisk, Patrick von Sychowski, the editor of Celluloid Junkie, discusses why the Chinese box office may stumble as the industry recovers from the pandemic whereas the Indian market is primed to take off.
Despite all the hurdles of getting their movies released in China, Hollywood’s affinity for the Middle Kingdom has hardly waned. The recent record breaking opening of Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” will surely provoke even more interest in chasing the Chinese market.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including another delay for “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kanye West enjoys his tenth number one album and the pop group ABBA reunites after 40 years.

‘Shang-Chi’ Ringing Up $140M Global Bow
https://deadline.com/2021/09/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-free-guy-after-we-fell-china-global-international-box-office-disney-marvel-1234827604/
Box Office: Marvel’s ‘Shang-Chi’ Crushes Labor Day Weekend Records With $90 Million
https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/box-office-marvel-shang-chi-labor-day-record-1235057013/
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Flies From Thanksgiving To Memorial Day Weekend; ‘Mission: Impossible 7’ Ignites In Fall 2022
https://deadline.com/2021/09/top-gun-maverick-flies-from-thanksgiving-to-memorial-day-weekend-mission-impossible-7-ignites-in-fall-2022-1234825624/
Bonnaroo Canceled Due to Flooded Festival Grounds
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bonnaroo-canceled-due-to-flooded-festival-grounds-1219260/
Texas and Florida Venues Have Found a Loophole in Vaccine Requirement Bans
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/touring/9622797/texas-florida-venues-vaccine-requirement-bans-loopholes/
Fran Drescher Elected President of SAG-AFTRA, Rival Joely Fisher Wins Secretary-Treasurer
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/fran-drescher-president-sag-aftra-joely-fisher-1235054675/
Disney to Shut Down Hotstar In U.S., Hulu and ESPN+ to Get Content Boost
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/hotstar-disney-streaming-bundle-hulu-espn-1235003995/
‘Outer Banks’ Scores Big on Streaming Charts
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/outer-banks-streaming-charts-aug-2-8-1235007713...