Universal Studios Beijing to Draw Eager Throngs amid Uneasy US-China Ties

People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)
People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)
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Universal Studios Beijing to Draw Eager Throngs amid Uneasy US-China Ties

People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)
People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)

Universal Studios’ Beijing resort was set to open its doors to the public on Monday after a two-decade wait, including delays because of COVID-19.

The highly-anticipated opening takes place amid US-China relations that have deeply deteriorated in recent years.

The park will be US-based Universal’s largest and its fifth globally. It is also a first for Beijing, which lacks a big branded theme park to rival the Disney resorts in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

And, it will be the first Universal Park with a section dedicated to the movie “Kung Fu Panda” and includes an area based on the Harry Potter franchise, which is popular in China.

All 10,000 tickets for the opening available in a pre-sale on Sept. 14 sold out in three minutes, according to Trip.com Group.

However, many complained on social media about ticket costs, which range from 418 yuan ($64.76) in the low season to 748 yuan during peak periods.

“This is a rare time in a long while when an America-themed topic has attracted such obvious and widespread praise in China,” the Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily, wrote last week.

The resort was proposed 20 years ago by the Beijing Tourism Group, according to the official China Daily, and is 30% owned by Comcast Corp’s Universal Parks & Resorts and 70% by state-owned Beijing Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment.

The new Chinese ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, likened its roller coaster ride to ties between the two countries.

“After all the tumbling and shakes, the roller coaster came to a soft landing in the end,” he tweeted on Tuesday.

Universal Studios announced the development of the resort in 2014, saying at the time it would cost $3.3 billion. In 2017, Comcast Chief Executive said the park could provide $1 billion of operating cash flow per year when it opened.



New 'Superman' Muscles to $122 Million at US, Canada Box Office

New 'Superman' Muscles to $122 Million at US, Canada Box Office
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New 'Superman' Muscles to $122 Million at US, Canada Box Office

New 'Superman' Muscles to $122 Million at US, Canada Box Office

A new "Superman" movie from Warner Bros hauled in $122 million at box offices in the United States and Canada over the weekend, a strong debut that kicked off a new era for DC comic book heroes on the big screen.

The movie that introduces David Corenswet as the Man of Steel added $95 million in international markets for a global total of $217 million through Sunday, Warner Bros said on Sunday.

"Superman" is a reboot of the movie franchise based on the hero who debuted in comic books in 1938. The film's performance is critical to the future of Warner Bros and its DC Studios division.

Despite a stable of iconic characters including Batman and Wonder Woman, DC has not been able to match the blockbuster box office power of Walt Disney's Marvel superhero films.

The new "Superman" was written and directed by James Gunn, the filmmaker known for three offbeat "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies for Marvel. Gunn was tapped as co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022, alongside producer Peter Safran, and billed as the hero who could bring consistent success to its film and TV projects.