8 Shanghai cinemas involved in Ip Man 3 box office scandal

By Xu Wei | March 20, 2016, Sunday |

Online Edition

THE ongoing Chinese Kung fu film "Ip Man 3" has made about 770 million yuan since its release two weeks ago, but 32 million yuan sales figure out of 7,600 screenings of the box office receipts has been confirmed fake and hyped, officials told China Film News.

Max Screen Company, the film's distributor is suspended its film distribution business for one month. Following "Ip Man 3," the company's projects this year also include the war epic "The Bombing," drama film "Sweet Sixteen" and fantasy film "The Moon and the Sun."

According to the investigation launched by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, a total of 73 cinemas and 3 online ticket-selling websites of the country were involved in the fraud. They have received serious warning and criticism for the violation by the regulators.

Eight cinemas in the case are affliated with local cinema chains, including Premiere International Cinema Shanghai Global Harbor, Juying International Cinema and Shanghai Film Art Center.

The third installment of the "Ip Man" film series, which stars Hong Kong actor Donnie Yen and former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, took in more than 440 million yuan in its first three days in theaters.

This is unusual because March is generally a slack season for movies.

Some netizens also questioned that part of the box office receipts were manipulated after they found out the film's seats were almost fully occupied in the daytime screenings of work days like Monday at many theaters.

Cinemas in Beijing used to respond that they had no reason to artificially inflate the box-office receipts as the film would certainly become a hit.

Last week, Shanghai Kuailu Investment Group, the film's major financier released a statement saying that "Some competitors and criminals are fabricating facts to blackmail them and other companies."

Entertainment and Culture

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8 Shanghai cinemas involved in Ip Man 3 box office scandal

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