American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's release in China on October 25 has been reportedly put on hold on an indefinite period of time over a scene which indirectly hampers late martial arts icon Bruce Lee's magnanimity. The film released in July in the US was likely to attain a current global haul of $366 million, citing reports. Yet the Bruce Lee scandal has made everything indefinite.

The movie has been temporarily put on hold because the daughter of Bruce Lee has filed a complaint to China’s National Film Administration about the on-screen depiction of her late father, a hero to many Chinese, cited Chinese media.

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The scene in the film which gave rise to the Bruce Lee scandal

The film is termed as 'Tarantino's ode to Hollywood' by movie experts, which is set in the summer of 1969. The plot revolves around a fading star (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double, Cliff (Brad Pitt). What sparked the objection is a scene in the film in which Cliff is seen on a film set listening to Bruce Lee (played by Mike Moh) deliver a lengthy, boastful monologue about how much better of a fighter he is. Yet Cliff disbelieves and mocks him which is followed by a dual between the two, in which Cliff wins undermining the legendary martial arts icon. A source of a film magazine said that the film can be released only after the scene is cut.

On the other hand, another report cited that Quentin will not tweak the film in order to get a release in China.

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Share of profits between Hollywood and China

Moreover, reports cited that Bona Film Group’s deal with Sony Pictures on a limited slate of films gave it a share of equity ownership and the distribution rights to “Once Upon a Time” in China. Because of this, Bona executives Yu Dong and Jeffrey Chan appear in the film’s opening credits as executive producers. But as the film was not shot in China and did not feature significant amounts of Chinese cast, it did not have full co-production status. 

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Django Unchained controversy

A similar controversy arose in March 2013 when Quentin's film Django Unchained was reportedly announced to be the first Tarantino film approved for official distribution in China's strictly controlled film market. A film expert wrote that the film depicted one of America's darker periods, when slavery was legal, which Chinese officials used to push back against criticism from the United States. Later, the film was released in China on May 12, 2013, after being heavily edited. By that time, pirated versions of the original were already widespread in China. 

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