With the success of the Iron Man franchise, Marvel and Disney are looking to expand to bigger audiences.
And where else would you get a bigger audience than in the country with the world’s biggest population?
Yes, as the title of this article suggests, Marvel and Walt Disney China have brought in DMG Entertainment, a Chinese film group, to co-produce and distribute Iron Man 3 in China. Robert Steffens, the General Manager of Operations and Finance for Marvel Studios made some interesting remarks about bringing Iron Man to China.
“We look forward to working alongside DMG to bring Iron Man to the Chinese marketplace in a significant way. We are confident that Marvel’s stories will continue to be enjoyed by Chinese audiences, and adding a local flavor, and working with our new local partner, will enhance the appeal and relevance of our characters in China’s fast-growing film marketplace.”
Let’s pause for a moment. “Adding a local flavor” into Marvel movies? Here’s where I’m dubious. Part of the reason why superhero movies are blockbuster hits in the United States is because of the history they have in the United States. The Chinese market, largely a homogenous group of well… Chinese people, have no connection to American superheroes in anyway. I’m not saying that you can’t enjoy a superhero movie if you’re unfamiliar with Tony Stark’s history, but I think Marvel and Disney will have to be relying on the sheer size of the Chinese market for superhero movies to sell.
Nevertheless, it’d be interesting to see how well Iron Man 3 does in China…. with the added “local flavor.”
[Via Marvel]
