Hollywood Should Pay Attention as Women Power the Box Office in China

China’s box office is being driven by women, despite their smaller representation in the population, and Hollywood should pay attention to this trend. According to a survey conducted by Morning Consult, women make up 52% of monthly moviegoers in China, outpacing their share of the population. This unexpected dominance of Chinese women in the box office not only reflects a cultural shift but also presents a new opportunity for American studios.

Hollywood has faced challenges in reestablishing itself in the Chinese market due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on the number of foreign films allowed in theaters. However, by tapping into the growing demographic of female moviegoers in China, Hollywood could develop a new strategy for success.

The survey conducted by Morning Consult also revealed that Chinese women have similar interests in science fiction and action films as their male counterparts. However, they show a stronger preference for romantic comedies and musicals. This explains why “Barbie” was successful in China, as it resonated with the interests of female audiences. Despite its modest box office earnings of $35 million, “Barbie” indicates that there is an underserved market in China that studios can target.

Kevin Tran, a senior media and entertainment analyst at Morning Consult, emphasized the increasing purchasing power of women in China, along with their changing lifestyles. With fewer women getting married and more independence, they have more leisure time and disposable income to spend on activities like going to the movies. By catering to this demographic, Hollywood can tap into a segment that was previously overlooked.

The survey by Morning Consult also revealed that Chinese women are more frequent moviegoers compared to men. In July, 32% of Chinese women reported going to the movies three or more times, while only 27% of men did the same. This indicates a strong potential market that studios can target with their film offerings.

Considering the challenges faced by nonlocal studios in understanding Chinese cultural norms, it would be wise for U.S. studios to invest more in producing musicals and romantic comedies in China as part of a long-term strategy. This diversification of genres would help maintain a balanced slate of films beyond the typical big-budget action blockbusters that studios have relied on for global success.

Hollywood should be cautious not to compromise its artistic integrity or pander solely to Chinese preferences. Altering or censoring films to comply with Chinese regulations has been met with criticism from American audiences. Films must navigate approval from Chinese regulators and can be censored if they conflict with China’s core socialist values or nationalistic image.

Major blockbusters like Marvel’s “Black Widow,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” were unable to screen in Chinese theaters due to content restrictions.

Prior to the pandemic, Chinese audiences contributed 15% to 20% of global box office revenue, particularly for big blockbusters like the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. However, the most recent Marvel film, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” only generated 10% of its total revenue from China.

Since the reopening of movie theaters post-pandemic, Hollywood has targeted Chinese audiences with superhero and action films, but with limited success. While Disney’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” surpassed $200 million in China, other films struggled to reach that level of success, let alone surpass $100 million.

Although China has resumed importing Hollywood films at pre-pandemic levels, ticket sales in the first half of 2023 have declined by nearly 70% compared to the same period in 2019, according to Artisan Gateway, a film industry advisory group.