On June 7, the official Weibo account of the movie “Sunshine Club,” starring mainland Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming, announced the cancellation of its release for the summer season, with the specific release date yet to be determined. This film has become the first movie to withdraw from the summer lineup.
Initially scheduled for June 28, “Sunshine Club” had previously announced its release date on May 28. The withdrawal notice was issued by one of the film’s production companies, “Beijing Fenghe Film Co., Ltd.,” but no reasons for the cancellation were disclosed.
According to public information, “Sunshine Club” is a drama film written by Wei Shujun and Zhai Yixiang, directed by Wei Shujun, and starring Huang Xiaoming, Lu Xiaofen, and Zu Feng. The movie tells the story of Wu You (played by Huang Xiaoming), who lives carefree with his mother. After joining the Sunshine Club and becoming a senior partner, his mother falls ill. He firmly believes in the miracles of life and sets out on a journey to find sunshine with his mother.
At the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival last year, “Sunshine Club” was nominated for the Golden Goblet Award for “Best Picture,” and Huang Xiaoming won the award for “Best Actor.”
Huang Xiaoming portrays the intellectually challenged Wu You in the film, which marks a departure from his previous on-screen image. According to “Jimu News,” Huang Xiaoming took on the extremely challenging role of Wu You by not only experiencing life in a charity organization but also intentionally gaining 30 kilograms, thinning his hair and eyebrows, wearing false teeth, and appearing as a completely different person.
Industry insiders estimate that the likely reason for the film’s withdrawal this time is due to market conditions. With intense competition during the summer season, the more artistically inclined “Sunshine Club” may have chosen to step back. As of now, more than 60 domestic and foreign films have been scheduled for release in mainland China during the summer of 2025.