"Sherlock," the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) contemporary remake of Arthur Conan Doyle's detective tales, has a huge following in China and its holiday special "The Abominable Bride" will get an extended run in all cinemas starting Jan.4, just days before the release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
"Sherlock: The Abominable Bride" will also be getting a cinematic release in other countries. However, China is the only country to pit the series special against the latest "Star Wars" installment.
The Battle For Chinese Fans
J.J. Abrams's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be released in cinemas on Jan. 9, nearly a month after its worldwide theatrical release and after much anticipation. "The Force Awakens" will be the first in the saga to be theatrically released in China, with the first six only released during the Shanghai International Film Festival in June 2015.
"Sherlock" Is a television show, so why is the 90-minute special screening in cinemas across China? The move stems from agreements signed between BBC Worldwide and Shanghai Media Group (SMG) Pictures, a Chinese media organization, both of which recognized the massive following of Chinese viewers enjoyed by the British television series, as well as the huge appeal of the show's star, Benedict Cumberbatch.
It seems unreal that a television drama would be pitted against a box office record-breaking film but "Sherlock" may actually stand a chance against the epic saga considering how huge its fan base is in the second largest film market.
The Actual Standing
Disney has no doubt been actively and aggressively marketing "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in China, even pulling marketing stunts such as having an army of Stormtrooper replicas stand on the steps of The Great Wall of China as a huge banner of the film hangs over it. Chinese pop star Lu Han was even named as an honorary member of the Jedi Order and as an official "Star Wars" ambassador.
The four-decade delay of "Star Wars" in China definitely hits hard. Despite being the second largest film market, China is not really clamoring for the next "Star Wars" film. The release of the first six films in 2015 is still too "fresh," in a sense, that the science fiction film has not fully sunk in and left much impression on the Chinese audience. Despite successful marketing, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is not as phenomenal in China as it is in other countries.
BBC's "Sherlock," however, has already established its huge fan base since its release in 2010. Its series three alone garnered 122 million viewers and there is a lot of love for the Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman duo.
Although the Chinese government has given "Sherlock" good reviews, it remains to be seen whether it truly appreciates the detective series or it is just trying to divert attention from Hollywood films. Whichever the reason is, it cannot be denied that "Star Wars" may actually have a competition with BBC's "Sherlock" in China.
Would Sherlock Be Able To Topple The Force?
The answer is that it may be unlikely for "The Abominable Bride" to beat "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" but that it is a worthy competition since it may just earn more loyal followers once it is shown beginning Jan. 4.
"As ever with us, we've chosen several and there are loads of references. One of them you have to be able to speak Chinese to get," Steven Moffat said in an interview about the special. That just might earn a few more fans in China.
