This year’s crop has already begun showing at local Chinese theaters, but there are still many movies to come despite a truncated schedule.

Expats in China looking for Hollywood movies won’t be able to watch a whole bunch of films including Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Lucy, 22 Jump Street, and Blended. Furthermore, audiences in China may face “after-market alterations” that have been seen in local showings of Mission Impossible 3, Transformers 2, and Skyfall.

All the same, here is the line-up for Hollywood blockbusters this summer. Note that some release dates are still unconfirmed and may be changed.

We’re sure that you’re more than familiar with many of these films, as many of them are sequels with massive promotional campaigns to support them, so instead we’re going to offer our opinions on how these films will fare in the Chinese market.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2—already playing No one in China objected to the removal of the line “With great power comes great responsibility” just as no one will mind that this is the second Spider-Man movie to come out in recent history with a “2″ beside it. Decent box office.

X-Men: Days of Future Past—May 23, a day in the distant past

Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing shows up in a short cameo, but for a Western movie to properly pander to a Chinese audience, you’ll need to cast her as a nurse in scenes that are completely cut out of the international release as seen in Iron Man 2. This film will do alright, but really needed Wolverine to show up at a Chinese school and show his approval for doting Chinese students dressed with red scarves.

Godzilla—June 13 US release, no China date yet

Japan… destroyed… by a manifestation of its own hubris? A film with such a premise should ideally go gangbusters in China, but Chinese audiences will likely get confused with a Japanese lead actor who isn’t wearing a Hitler mustache and barking orders with a sword. No deal.

Edge of Tomorrow—June 6

A story in which a character cannot move forward in time, but instead is forced to relive the same events over and over until he gets it right? On this day? Chinese audiences aren’t interested in such an impossibly fictional story with no basis in reality.

How to Train Your Dragon 2—June 13

Did you know that Chinese people are descended from dragons? No dice for this film.

Grace of Monaco—June 20

A beautiful woman with a mysterious persona tries to make her way through the world facing public tribulations and personal setbacks. Should do just fine.

Maleficient—June 20

A beautiful woman with a mysterious persona tries to make her way through the world facing public tribulations and personal setbacks. Should do just fine as well.

Transformers: Age of Extinction—June 27

This is your box office champion for foreign films this year, bar none. And this film will be hyped beyond measure: Michael Bay was savvy enough to promote the last Transformers sequel by loudly admitting he had studied Chinese history in school, a tactic bested only recently by Johnny Depp who unveiled a Chinese tattoo during the Chinese promotional tour for Transcendence.

This new Transformers sequel is targeting a Chinese audience with specific in-film promotions, using settings in China, and by releasing numerous Chinese promotional materials, something that other summer films can’t say. The blurry action and huge explosions will obliterate any concerns of American troops kicking giant robot ass on Chinese soil.

Here are some Chinese posters:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes—July 11

Worst. Journey. To. The. West. Reboot. Ever.

Jupiter Rising—July 18

We should always expect offerings from the Wachowski siblings to be imaginative, but it’s weird that there has been little hype for this film. Look for it to be mostly ignored by Chinese audiences who won’t know a thing about it. It doesn’t bode well for your film when promotional materials cut off the title.

Hercules—July 25

That fire looks to be a little close, and now we can all smell what the Rock is cooking. Won’t be a draw for Chinese audiences.

Guardians of the Galaxy—August 1

We are absolutely in giddy anticipation for these “bunch of a-holes”. This film should still do well in China despite the many subversive elements lost on a Chinese audience (Hey, is that an animated animal with a gun adjusting his junk in the trailer? Must be a Marvel movie).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—Aug 8

Not dignified enough to be an animal belonging to the Chinese zodiac, turtles are a terribly unlucky animal in China, something that will compounded by the titular characters of this new gritty reboot having lips. We’ll see if Megan Fox will be enough to counter-balance the repulsive elements of this film.

Expendables 3—Aug 15

The nostalgia factor is not likely going to be high for a Chinese audience; neither will the stunt casting of Mel Gibson and Wesley Snipes. Respectable box office, but will have a luke-warm response.

Bonus: Tiny Times 3—July 17

Not a Hollywood blockbuster, but a domestic film you will enjoy if you hate life and enjoy contradictions and superficiality.

Photos: Weibo (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), MSN

Baiyun Airport gets bigger, so will the number of Guangzhou’s airports
In the latest gathering of Guangzhou’s political decision-makers, the Standing Committee approved plans to construct a third runway at Baiyun Airport with construction starting this month. In other news, construction will begin on the airport’s new second terminal – just north of the existing facility – by the end of the year.

However, if that isn’t enough, China Daily reports that the airport extension is in line with current plans to create a second Guangzhou airport to the south of the city. If plans come to fruition, the PRD will become one of the most congested regional airspaces in the country catering for Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Macau.

China Southern’s first A380 international flight
There was a lot of hype, fanfare and attention on China Southern Airlines (CSA) newest arrival, the double-decker A380, last year. Then it headed into a year-long domestic exile. Now though, it’s going international: It’s off to Hollywood.

The carrier’s upgraded service will take off on October 12 as the first and only Chinese superjumbo to head across the Pacific.

While China Southern already flies to Los Angeles, it believes it can tap into a greater share of the Trans-Pacific market. In doing so, Airline Route reckons overall capacity will soar 78 per cent, meaning CSA has its work cut out for itself.

CSA has three superjumbos in its fleet with two more on the way, which will be deployed on international routes and primary domestic cities.

India’s SpiceJet heads to the PRD’s busiest airports
India’s budget airline SpiceJet has won government approval to expand international operations, starting with daily services to Hong Kong and Guangzhou. The Nanfang earlier reported on India’s aviation reforms aimed at revitalising the sector.

As SpiceJet plans for a China arrival, Dragonair prepares for a second Indian landing
Dragonair is extending its reach away from the Far East and South East Asia. Starting November 2, a new four-times-a-week service to Kolkata, in the eastern state of West Bengal, will take off. The move will also help support Cathay Pacific, its parent company, as a feeder and codeshare airline. Cathay already flies to five major Indian cities.

And two major updates on stories The Nanfang trailed last week on Shenzhen-Sydney, Delhi-Hong Kong-Osaka Kansai and Delhi-Hong Kong-Seoul Incheon. Air India is resuming flights to Seoul Incheon and Osaka Kansai via Hong Kong earlier than planned. The Delhi-Hong Kong-Osaka Kansai route resumes with three weekly flights starting on August 21 and Delhi-Hong Kong-Seoul Incheon resumes the following day with four flights a week.

Hainan Airlines has postponed resuming its Sydney service until December 3.