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China passes on Chan's `Rush Hour 3'
2007-08-01
Jackie Chan's new action comedy, "Rush Hour 3," won't be shown in China. "We think the market for the movie is relatively weak," Xiao Ping, a vice president at state-run China Film Group's import and export arm, said Tuesday. The Chinese government carefully screens foreign media content and allows only about 20 foreign films a year to be shown. Ping said "Rush Hour 3" was up against some tough competition. China has already imported several Hollywood blockbusters, including "Transformers," "Spider-Man 3" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." But Hollywood trade publication Variety reported on its Asian Web site Tuesday that Chinese officials believe "Rush Hour 3," which stars Chan and Chris Tucker as buddy cops taking on a Chinese crime family in Paris, is "fundamentally anti-Chinese." Xiao said she didn't know whether film executives were concerned about scenes of Chinese gangsters. New Line Cinema said it had no comment. Chan, 53, and Tucker, 34, have co-starred in all three "Rush Hour" movies. The trilogy, directed by Brett Ratner, began in 1998. The loss of the China market isn't a major blow to filmmakers. Chinese box-office income remains much smaller than in the U.S. A movie that makes tens of millions of U.S. dollars in China can be considered a hit, while U.S. box office winners can make hundreds of millions. "Rush Hour 3" is set for release in the U.S. on Aug. 10. ___ On the Net: Jackie Chan: http://www.jackiechan.com/ "Rush Hour 3": http://www.rushhourmovie.com/
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