If you want to know which movie genre is best for cooling off in the summer, it's undoubtedly horror and thrillers. Due to their high return on investment and lack of influence from streaming platforms, horror and thrillers have become Hollywood's most popular film genre in recent years. However, due to their graphic imagery, these films are often classified as restricted, and have historically been excluded from Chinese cinemas. However, recently, two horror and thriller films, "Final Destination: Bloodlines" and "Eden," have both been scheduled for release on August 22nd. There are even rumors that "The Sinner" and "The Conjuring 4: The Final Chapter" may also be released in China, which has come as a pleasant surprise to many horror and thriller fans.
Stills from Final Destination 6
Final Destination: Bloodlines, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, is the sixth installment in the Final Destination franchise and the first to be screened in China. Upon its release in North America in May of this year, the film received rave reviews and currently maintains a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reversing the series' history of poor critical reception.
However, the "Final Destination" series, as its name suggests, depicts the tragic deaths of a series of protagonists, leading to the often gory scenes. Even though "Final Destination 6" boasts significant innovations in plot and film language, it hasn't deviated from this established formula. Therefore, upon the release of the film's release date, fans of horror thrillers in China, while delighted, were also concerned about the film's potentially drastic visual overhaul.
The poster of "Final Destination 6" has a reminder for the audience.
However, the release poster for "Final Destination 6" clearly states: "This story is purely fictional. Minor viewers and patients with hypertension or heart disease should watch the film with caution." This also seems to imply that the film will not be changed beyond recognition by the "Scissorhands".
The creative team and cast of "Eden" are quite luxurious.
The thriller "Eden", which was released on the same day as "Final Destination 6", was directed by Ron Howard, a famous Hollywood director who has directed masterpieces such as "Apollo 13" and "A Beautiful Mind". Starring Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Bruhl and Sidney Sweeney, it tells the story of a group of men and women who were stranded on a deserted island and went on a battle royale.
The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2024, and has not been officially scheduled since then. It has only been broadcast on a streaming platform in Germany. This time it is scheduled to be released simultaneously in North America and mainland China on August 22.
"The Conjuring 4: The Final Chapter" is scheduled to be released in North America on September 5.
In addition to the two confirmed release dates mentioned above, there are rumors that this year's critically acclaimed horror film, "Sinners," may also be imported. The film was screened at this year's Beijing International Film Festival and Shanghai International Film Festival, where tickets were incredibly popular. "The Conjuring: Last Rites," the final installment in the "Conjuring" series, is scheduled for a North American release on September 5th. The series is incredibly popular among horror and thriller fans, and a simultaneous import release would perfectly coincide with the Ghost Festival (September 6th). However, there's no confirmed news yet on the import of "Sinners" or "The Conjuring 4."
Among the four films mentioned above, "The Sinner," "Final Destination 6," and "Eden" are all rated restricted in North America (R-rated, meaning those under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to watch); if nothing unexpected happens, "The Conjuring 4," which will be released next month, will probably not escape the restricted rating.