Deadpool makes China debut, but seen to falter

One of Hollywood's most popular superheroes, Deadpool, has made his debut on the Chinese mainland long after the franchise kicked off elsewhere, and has topped the nation's box-office charts since the latest movie opened on Jan 25.

As of Wednesday, the Deadpool film has grossed nearly 207 million yuan ($30.8 million) and consecutively occupied the top spot for six days, making it the most lucrative hit on the eve of the fiercely competitive Spring Festival holiday.

For most domestic fans, it was a surprise to see the unconventional X-Men mutant film imported into China now, as the blood-splattered, foul-mouthed Deadpool 2 was released in the United States and a number of other countries in May, followed by a re-edited, Christmas-toned version titled Once Upon a Deadpool in December.

Usually, a Hollywood blockbuster imported under the box office-sharing quota system opens on the Chinese mainland and in North America simultaneously, or around the same time.