China Cancels The Release of 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'

The film was ideally supposed to be releasing next week.

ONCE

It is kinda obvious, isn't it? If you have a 'controversial' portrayal of the legend that Bruce Lee is, in your film, you may not have a smooth road surely. But that didn't seem to be a case until only recently.

A week ago, it was confirmed that Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood would be releasing in China on Oct. 25. However, those plans have indefinitely been put on hold, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

According to sources close to Bona and China's Film Bureau, Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, made a direct appeal to China’s National Film Administration, asking that it demand changes to her father's portrayal. 

Played by Mike Moh, the Lee in Sony's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is wildly cocky and claims he could have "crippled" Muhammad Ali in a fight (referred to as Cassius Clay). Pitt's character, a stuntman and former war hero named Cliff Booth, laughs in Lee's face over the comment and then the two get into a "friendly" contest of who can knock the other down three times without hitting the face. The scuffle ends before either side wins, but Pitt appears to have an edge near the end, after throwing Lee into the side of a classic car.

On the other hand, Beijing-based Film Group and the film's Chinese financer, Bona has suffered quite a big blow. 

As The Hollywood Reporter reported exclusively in January, Bona took a sizable equity stake in Once Upon a Time, which gave the company participation in the film's worldwide box office, as well as distribution rights in Greater China. Bona's CEO Yu Dong and COO Jeffrey Chan are both prominently credited as executive producers of the film. No official explanation for the cancellation has been offered by Beijing regulators.

There may or may not be any development in this saga soon.

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