U.S. Films Will Be Back in Chinese Theaters This Year, Imax CEO Predicts

(Bloomberg) — Hollywood movies will start playing in China again this year, with one of the most anticipated new films, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” among those likely to get released there, Imax Corp. CEO Rich Gelfond told investors Thursday.

China is clearing through its backlog of local-language movies, Gelfond said during an earnings call. Films released on streaming platforms have “unleashed rampant piracy” in the country, he said. Both of those developments should pave the way for more Hollywood films to play in the country.