Spider-Man: No Way Home Likely First MCU Phase Four Film to Release in China

Spider-Man: No Way Home could soon find a home on Chinese movie theater screens. A Chinese poster indicates the Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios co-production will release in China, making it the first Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Four film to play in the Middle Kingdom. Disney-Marvel launched Phase Four in May with Black Widow, following it with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals — none of which have been allowed to open in the country. 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home was the last Marvel Studios film to play in China, grossing $205 million of its global $1.1 billion box office haul. 

The summer release date of Black Widow coincided with a blackout of Hollywood films in China. Shang-Chi, starring Simu Liu as Marvel's first starring Asian superhero on the big screen, and Eternals, directed by Chinese-born filmmaker Chloe Zhao, never received release dates in mainland China due to conflicts with the country. Liu and Zhao both faced Chinese criticism over resurfaced past comments about China. 

No Way Home, which is co-financed by Disney but distributed into theaters by Sony Pictures, is set to open exclusively in theaters on December 17 in the U.S. and on December 15 in territories like France and South Korea. (Marvel fans in the Philippines are petitioning Sony to move up the release date of No Way Home, where the Spidey sequel won't release until January 8, 2022.)  

Far From Home grossed $199 million in China, where Sony's Spider-Man movies are a fan-favorite. Sony's first official poster for No Way Home teases Spider-Man's (Tom Holland) battle with Multiversal villains Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) and the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), with social media channels remarking the Marvel Multiverse is "unleashed" when an unmasked Peter Parker goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. 

Fans have been examining the poster for clues about the roster of supervillains suspected to form the Sinister Six in No Way Home, which has hinted at the returns of Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). No Way Home has not received a release date in China. 

"Disney has a fantastic record in China. We are a major player there. We have a very long-term view on relationships. We are not really focused on individual events," Disney's Asia-Pacific president Luke Kang told Variety in October after Marvel's latest missed out on Chinese theaters. "Over the last ten years in China, not everything was successful. But in aggregate, no one cannot argue with our overall success as a company in China. Going forward, we are very optimistic. Short-term challenges will eventually iron themselves out."

Asked if Marvel movies will return to China, Kang said, "Marvel is very popular in China. We are excited to bring the Chinese consumers whatever new content we have, Marvel, Disney, Pixar, Star Wars or whatnot. It is hard to predict the moves of a government. Our job is to be where the consumers are at, understand the consumer, [understand] where our brands and franchises resonate. Within the constraints and confines that we are given, we are able to maximize our reach and potential."

Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, and Benedict Cumberbatch, Spider-Man: No Way Home opens exclusively in movie theaters on December 17.