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Why Big Hits Like ‘Wicked,’ ‘Beetlejuice 2’ and ‘Twisters’ Still Struggled at the International Box Office
"Wicked," "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" and "Twisters" were domestic box office powerhouses, but international audiences didn't share the same enthusiasm.
But geopolitical tensions have made the country less receptive to American culture, while the Chinese film industry has expanded dramatically to the point where it is creating its own slate of lavish blockbusters that are shattering box office records. Musicals tend to be bigger in English-speaking countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, which have accounted for roughly 50% of international business for “Wicked.” That “Wicked” has struggled in overseas markets like China and France isn’t for lack of trying, according rival studio executives; Universal didn’t scale back on spending in areas where the film was anticipated to underperform. The Trump administration is threatening to launch trade wars, studios are making fewer movies, and the actors and writers strikes delayed releases and left major markets like France more focused on filling the gaps with their own local productions.
Or read this on Variety