Crazy Rich Asians, Warner Bros.' breakout summer hit, was a dud in China. Warner Bros. said the acclaimed romantic comedy, which earned $173 million (Dh635 million) in the US, debuted in China with just $1.2 million (Dh4.4 million).
In contrast to this, many big budget American films have stronger opening weekends in China than they do in the US - this was the case for Ready Player One and Tomb Raider.
John M. Chu's Singapore-set film, which opened Aug. 14 in the States, took months to secure a release date in China, a delay some have attributed to the film's depiction of extremely wealthy Chinese Singaporeans.
Crazy Rich Asians was a hit at the Singapore box office, but, like most comedies, it hasn't been as much a sensation as it was in the US; it's earned $64 million overseas. The film's performance in China, though, is potentially worrisome for Warner Bros.
Its planned sequel, China Rich Girlfriend, aims to better capitalise on the world's second largest film market.
