Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 20, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
In 2007, 20 films from Hollywood studios received approval for Chinese cinemas. The Chinese government, which is known for protecting the domestic film industry with protectionist measures, is now relying on a total blockade.
The irony lies in the fact that the measure is to be understood as a reaction to a WTO complaint by the USA against China because of rampant video piracy. However, the decision is likely to have precisely the opposite effect: As a result, trade in illegal DVDs is attributed strong growth, since the films will no longer be shown in Chinese cinemas.
This counteracts the efforts of the three major Hollywood studios Warner Bros., Paramount and DreamWorks. Only in November did the trio take measures with new sales strategies to combat the growing number of pirated copies. The film studios plan to offer international titles at rock-bottom prices (2.95 dollars) in the future and in some cases release the DVD versions as early as two months after the theatrical release.
