On Tuesday, Jason Bourne premiered in China, scooping up $11.8 million and setting a new single-day record for the franchise in the Middle Kingdom.
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That’s reason enough to celebrate for Universal Pictures; however, according to The Hollywood Reporter, some moviegoers that saw the film in 3D became physically ill, complaining of dizziness and nausea.
That’s due in large part to director Paul Greengrass’s handheld camera work and fast, energetic editing style. Neither of those lends itself to the 3D format, but since a majority of the Chinese theaters are equipped with 3D projection technology, 3D prevents piracy, and 3D can end up grossing a 33% higher profit than 2D, many films that are converted to 3D even though they should be.
On Friday, the state-backed Chinese newspaper Global Times ran a story reporting that moviegoers in Beijing’s Chaoyang district organized a protest Thursday demanding refunds after seeing the film in 3D. The paper said only eight of Beijing’s 149 movie theaters were offering screenings of the 2D version as of Thursday, while just nine of Shanghai’s 174 cinemas were showing the original film.
“I really felt sick during the fight scenes when I watched it in 3D,” a user named azooombie wrote on Weibo, a Chinese social media service. “It was like a low-budget movie. I need to watch again in 2D.”
On Wednesday, Universal Pictures’ China branch announced that it is working on adding more 2D screenings in China.
Matt Damon returns to his most iconic role in Jason Bourne. Paul Greengrass, the director of The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, once again joins Damon for the next chapter of Universal Pictures’ Bournefranchise, which finds the CIA’s most lethal former operative drawn out of the shadows.
For Jason Bourne, Damon is joined by Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel and Tommy Lee Jones, while Julia Stiles reprises her role in the series. Frank Marshall again produces alongside Jeffrey Weiner for Captivate Entertainment, and Greengrass, Damon, Gregory Goodman and Ben Smith also produce. Based on characters created by Robert Ludlum, the film is written by Greengrass and Christopher Rouse.
Jason Bourne is now playing.
