The success of Spiderman 3 in China has raised concerns that the movie is keeping domestic films out of theatres in their own country, AFP reported. The latest installment in the Spiderman franchise is already the highest-grossing film in China this year, earning US$13.4 million since it debuted in March. Profit-hungry cinema operators have been accused of showing the film on all their screens at the expense of Chinese-made offerings. "If Chinese cinemas are occupied by foreign big-budget films, no one will dare to invest in Chinese films," Vivian Wu, a Chinese-born actress, told state media. Wu's domestic co-production of Shanghai Red is currently struggling for screen space in China. Local director Jia Zhangke said China should copy the South Korean system that requires cinemas to devote a set proportion of days for showing domestic films. China officially imports just 20 movies each year but state media quoted figures showing that more than 4,000 foreign films entered the country between 2001 and 2004.
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