China release of 'Skyfall' delayed to protect local films

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that "Chinese authorities now are eyeing a late-January or early-February bow" for the new James Bond film "Skyfall".

This is three months later than the originally planned release date of November 2nd, which is still posted as such on the Sony Pictures website.

The paper reports this is nothing to do with the film's content, which has seen a lot of positive press in China, but rather the country looking to protect the box-office performance of native films.

THR claims that "Feng Xiaogang’s Back to 1942 and Lu Chuan’s The Last Supper, both the kind of lavish, state-backed historical epics that China turns out regularly, are slated for late-November releases in the country. By pushing Skyfall’s bow into the Chinese New Year theatrical window, Chinese officials might be attempting to secure bigger box office for homegrown films."

Chinese officials performed similar moves in July when all Hollywood films were pushed out of the month to later in the summer to protect home grown releases.

With "Skyfall" heading towards record breaking takings around the world, a late release in China will have the box-office historians waiting a little longer to decide just how successful this 23rd adventure has been.

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