This summer, there have been 6 movie withdrawals in Mainland China, with “When Stars Shine” being withdrawn just 24 hours after its release, prompting many netizens to label this as the “most chaotic summer movie withdrawal wave in history”.
On July 25, the movie “When Stars Shine”, starring Huang Bo, Wu Lei, and Gao Ye, was released. However, due to its box office earnings of only about 58.66 million yuan, and facing fierce competition, the film was pulled from theaters late on July 26, with plans to reschedule its screening.
In recent times, five other movies have also been withdrawn: “Heartwarming Dog” was scheduled to premiere on June 26 but suddenly announced its withdrawal on the night of June 25, opting out of the 2026 summer season. Moving into July, movies like “A Joke” and “The Rise of the Great Sage” among others, followed suit with their withdrawals.
Movie withdrawal refers to the temporary cessation of screenings before or after the official release, with the production companies usually stating that they will “reschedule” the screenings.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of movie withdrawals in Mainland China due to poor box office performance or intense market competition, leading many viewers to question whether the companies are “avoiding battle” after a box office failure.
The withdrawal of these 6 summer films within a short span of one month has sparked backlash among netizens, pushing the topic to trend online.
Some have described this year as the most chaotic summer season with six consecutive movie withdrawals. The frequent withdrawals reflect the irregularities in the domestic market, prompting calls for improvements.
Weibo user “ChestnutCharlie” suggested that once a movie is withdrawn, it should not be re-released. The trend of frequent withdrawals is questioned for its timing and impact on box office competition. When a movie does well, they want an extended screening period but withdraw when facing tough competition.
Other netizens have analyzed the reasons behind the summer movie withdrawals.
User “CuteLazyBugM” believes the primary reason is the downward economic trend and the overall unfavorable environment, where many people lack the desire for materialistic consumption. This user, involved in the business, observes a stark dependency on the overall economic conditions.
Many netizens expressed skepticism towards watching movies that have been withdrawn and re-released, indicating a loss of audience interest.
User “BlazingWhiteSlicerXue” stated that even after a withdrawal and re-release, they would not consider watching the movie, urging the focus to be on enhancing the script quality.
User “SingleEyelidDimpleXue” added that re-releasing after a withdrawal garners even less attention, with movies struggling to gather audiences both during peak and slow periods, affecting ticket sales.
Weibo user Zhang Junwen, with 5.119 million followers, expressed confusion over the 2026 summer movie season, labeling it as the most perplexing in recent years. The swift withdrawals of six films, particularly the abrupt exit of “When Stars Shine” within 24 hours despite nearly 60 million box office earnings, reflect a stark “business loss prevention” strategy.
Junwen highlighted a noticeable “siphon effect” in this summer season where top movies like “Kung Fu Women’s Soccer” and “Eight Immortals” dominated prime showtimes and IMAX theaters, leaving smaller budget films struggling to accumulate profits, ultimately leading to withdrawals to minimize losses.
He emphasized the harsh reality of cinema operations based on audience attendance and revenue flow determining the screening rights. The disturbing cycle emerges where good movies suffer due to limited screenings and subsequent poor earnings, leading to further neglect in screening allocation and eventual “silent retreat”.
The frequent withdrawals are eroding audience trust, with “screening then withdrawing” becoming normalized, potentially diminishing the audience’s willingness to purchase tickets. A shift from the current chaotic competition towards providing breathing room for projects of varying scales is vital for a sustainable movie market.