Charles Liu, On March 18, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar-winning portrayal of vengeful frontiersman Hugh Glass in the film The Revenant, will finally make its way to China.
The film was intended to be screened in February, but local media say a final cut was submitted to Chinese censors two months behind schedule, prompting the delay.
The announcement was made by Huaxia Film Distribution and the Bona Film Group just hours after DiCaprio’s Oscar win on Sunday.
As The Revenant contains various scenes of brutal violence so it may be edited for its Chinese release, as have other Hollywood blockbusters such as Mission: Impossible III and Skyfall. China currently has no film ratings system to prevent certain age groups from viewing mature content.
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According to Bai Jie, head of Alpha Pictures, DiCaprio will “probably” come to China to promote The Revenant. DiCaprio is well-loved among Chinese audiences due to his blockbuster role in 1998’s Titantic, one of China’s top grossing movies of all time. DiCaprio played teen heartthrob Jack, known for the famous “You jump, I jump” quip, often quoted in China regarding matters of love.
While most media have focused on DiCaprio’s talent and work-ethic as the source of his Oscar win, some Chinese publications have focused on something else: the red string tied around his left wrist.
While DiCaprio hasn’t explained the reason behind the red string, some Chinese attribute it to the common belief that it wards off evil and improves luck.
The People’s Daily Online reported the string is available for sale online for 15 yuan, advertised as a product “for turning around fortune”.
But if Chinese audiences really want to follow in the steps of DiCaprio, they may want to heed his words regarding climate change during his Oscar acceptance speech: “Climate change is real and it’s happening right now,” said DiCaprio, before adding, “It’s the most urgent threat affecting our species.”