The tariff war between Washington and Beijing is all set to reduce choices for movie-goers in China after the authorities decided to curb imports of Hollywood films. The step was expected as two influential Chinese bloggers had recently suggested it, among several others, as possible retaliation measures against the US tariff.

“The wrong action of the US government to abuse tariffs on China will inevitably further reduce the domestic audience’s favourability toward American films,” the China Film Administration said, announcing the move, according to Bloomberg

“We will follow the market rules, respect the audience’s choice, and moderately reduce the number of American films imported.”

The move comes as a departure of sorts for the Chinese authorities that has been pulling out all stops to boost attendance at cinemas as a part of a larger strategy to boost consumer spending to support the economy, characterised by a high saving propensity. The authorities have been planning to use moviegoers to unleash demand as most of China’s cinemas are located in malls, creating an opportunity for people to squeeze in some shopping on the side.

There are reports that Warner Bros. and Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie conquered the box office and broke the hegemony of local blockbuster Ne Zha 2, which grossed $2.11 billion after a 10-week reign, last weekend. The situation is, however, likely to change, and potentially devastate Hollywood’s access to the world’s second-largest box office, where authorities hold absolute control over film distribution.

China was long a crucial market for US studios. After the first US picture was approved for release in the Asian nation in 1994, studios grew a dependence on that market for growth as the box office peaked in the West and streaming stole audiences. But in recent years, Chinese regulators have curbed access to their theaters, suggesting American titles don’t align with Communist Party values.

The number of approved US releases in China peaked at more than 60 in 2018 but has declined through 2021, according to data from the Chinese ticketing service Maoyan Entertainment.

Both escalating trade war and political tensions between the US and China and the popularity of local-language films in China have been headwinds for American film releases in the country. Despite all these challenges, China aired 93 new imported films in 2024, the most since 2019, records revealed.