Several Films Pull Out of China's May Day Box Office Window, Sparking Online Debate
At least three films have withdrawn from the lucrative May Day holiday release slot in China, prompting heated discussion online about why studios keep reshuffling their release dates.
Photo: Sina Finance
The May Day holiday is a prime time for audiences to head to the cinema. Yet, according to a report by Economic Daily, several films recently announced they were pulling out of the May Day release window. The topic "multiple films withdraw from May Day" quickly trended online, sparking lively debate among internet users.
Three Films Announce Withdrawals
On April 30, the film "Three Minds, Two Intentions," originally set to open on May 1, announced it was being pulled. On the afternoon of April 30, the production team posted on its official account to inform "all the friends who care about the film 'Three Minds, Two Intentions'" that the movie would choose a new release date to meet audiences, saying: "A sincere, wholehearted work — we hope to wait for a better moment to meet you." The film stars Ariel Lin, Zhang Yifan and Sun Yizhou, and just days earlier its leads had been touring multiple cities for promotional events.
On April 22, the film "A Forest Within the Woods," also originally scheduled for May 1, announced it was being pulled and pushed back to May 23. Starring Yu Hewei and Gao Yuanyuan, the film had recently helped Yu Hewei win Best Actor at the Beijing International Film Festival's Tiantan Awards.
The comedy "Priceless Daughter," starring Ma Li, Fan Chengcheng and Qiao Shan, had announced in August 2025 that it would join the 2026 May Day window, but in March of this year revised its official announcement, changing the release date to "coming soon in 2026."
Three Films Account for Nearly 60% of May Day Screenings
As of around 10 a.m. on May 2, data from Beacon Pro showed that new May Day releases had grossed 245 million yuan. Among them, "Cold War 1994," "The Vanished Man" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2" temporarily ranked as the top three at the box office.
According to data provided by Beacon Pro, the three films with the highest number of screenings were "Cold War 1994," "The Vanished Man" and "10 Suicide Squad." "Cold War 1994" and "The Vanished Man" each accounted for more than 20% of screenings, while the three films combined made up nearly 60% of all screenings.
Why Do Films Change Their Release Dates?
According to an earlier report by Zhejiang Daily's Chao News, pulling films from release is nothing new in the film industry. For some, withdrawal is a way to avoid the competition from other titles and secure more screening space. At its core, it is a way to cut losses promptly after losing out in commercial competition.
However, rescheduling a release comes at a considerable financial cost to the studio. It means producing new promotional materials to announce the change, as well as running through the entire marketing and distribution process again, which requires a fresh round of spending — including whether to place outdoor ads at cinemas and whether to hold promotional tours. Industry insiders note that the best promotional ammunition is often spent in the first round, and the materials for a second release are generally not as strong as the first. A studio's expectations for the second release's box office determine the scale of the marketing campaign. But no one can guarantee that, after investing in marketing and distribution, good box office returns will follow.
Industry insiders say that frequent withdrawals and re-releases damage the ecosystem of the film industry.
On one hand, a rescheduled film effectively squeezes out the screenings of films opening in its new window — cutting in line, in a way that isn't a healthy cycle. On the other hand, box office competition rewards momentum: the first effort rouses spirits, the second flags, and the third is exhausted. Withdrawing a film suggests a lack of professionalism, reflecting a team's unclear positioning of the film and uncertain judgment about the release window. When such incidents happen frequently, they make the film industry look like an amateur operation to outside observers.
In addition, for films whose quality is not up to par, withdrawal and re-release cannot turn the tide. Ultimately, you have to be strong yourself to forge iron — what determines box office in the end is the quality of the film itself.
Online Reaction
The withdrawal of multiple films from the May Day window has prompted heated discussion among internet users.
Source: Sina Finance — https://finance.sina.cn/2026-05-02/detail-inhwnssi5752252.d.html?vt=4