Va real hit at the global box office since its release on May 25, Top Gun Maverick may never be shown in Chinese cinemas. As CNN reports, China may choose to censor the second installment of the adventures of fighter pilot Pete Maverick Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, due to a flag dispute.
In one of the scenes of the film, the flag of Taiwan appears clearly on his aviator coat, just like that of Japan, while the communist regime still and always claims the sovereignty of Taiwan and maintains rocky relations with its Japanese neighbor. If Paramount Pictures had taken the responsibility of removing its two flags in the film’s trailer, replacing them with two banners resembling them, they were maintained in certain scenes, to the chagrin of China.
“There is a good chance that Beijing will ban the release and monetization of Top Gun Maverick in China,” said Chris Fenton, former president of production company DMG Entertainment. “There is also a likelihood that the Chinese government will block the studio, filmmakers and market players for an extended period. We have witnessed similar punishments in the past,” he also predicts.
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Scenes hailed by the Taiwanese public
In China, the quota of foreign films is limited to 34 each year. This decision, taken by the Chinese Communist Party, aims to restrict the distribution of foreign entertainment and it is therefore very likely that Top Gun Maverick do not cross this barrier. For their part, the Taiwanese applauded warmly when they saw the presence of their flag on the screen. Many of them said they were “moved, surprised and delighted”.
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