‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Wins China Release Approval: Report

“How to Train Your Dragon” and “Lilo & Stitch” are among the latest Hollywood tentpoles to secure coveted Chinese exhibition approvals, signaling that Beijing is keeping the door open for major American releases despite ongoing U.S.-China trade disputes.

Walt Disney Co. won Beijing’s approval to release its live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” alongside Pixar’s animated feature “Elio” in Chinese theaters, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports. A third Disney movie, the “Thunderbolts*” superhero film from Marvel, opened in the country on Wednesday.

“How to Train Your Dragon,” from Comcast Corp.’s Universal Pictures, also won approval from the government-backed company that sanctions movies, sources told Bloomberg, requesting anonymity while discussing non-public information. The studio expects to announce an official Middle Kingdom release date in the coming weeks.

The approvals come at a crucial moment as studios prepare their summer tentpoles, suggesting no significant pullback despite China’s recent announcement that it would “moderately reduce” the number of American films permitted into the country in response to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

Major studios continue pursuing Chinese releases, with Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. recently submitting “F1” and Paramount Global seeking approval for “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” Bloomberg sources confirmed.

When reached for comment, the China Film Administration did not immediately respond to Bloomberg’s request, and all four studios declined to comment.

Imax Corp. CEO Rich Gelfond pushed back against speculation of a Hollywood blackout during a Monday Bloomberg TV interview, calling it “a false narrative” that major American blockbusters would be significantly curtailed. Gelfond previously suggested China’s restrictions would likely target lower-budget titles with minimal blockbuster potential.

While China remains the world’s second-largest theatrical market behind only the U.S., Hollywood’s dominance has waned as local productions like Lunar New Year hit “Ne Zha 2” increasingly capture audience attention. Nevertheless, China can still deliver substantial box office returns, accounting for approximately 10% of the international opening weekend for Warner Bros.’ recent hit “A Minecraft Movie.”