Donnie Yen's 'Enter the Fat Dragon' Cancels China Release, Moves to Streaming Amid Coronavirus Epidemic

The cancelation of the film's Feb. 16 theatrical release is another sign that Beijing insiders believe cinemas in China could remain closed for weeks, making streaming services a rare winner amid the dire health crisis.

With China's vast network of cinemas all closed amidst the growing coronavirus epidemic, a second major Chinese-language film is canceling its theatrical release to cash in on a streaming deal.

Donnie Yen's action comedy tentpole Enter the Fat Dragon was scheduled to open nationwide in China on Feb. 16, but production company Bona Film Group said Friday that the movie would instead be made available on leading streaming platforms Tencent Video and iQiyi on Feb. 1.

Enter the Fat Dragon is anupdate and a remake of the classic Hong Kong martial arts comedy of the same name from 1978. The new version, written and directed by genre mainstay Wong Jing, follows a skilled crime fighter (Yen) who loses none of his martial arts prowess despite becoming heavily overweight after having his heart broken.

The decision to stream the film is another blow to China's exhibitors, which have been left uniquely exposed to the financial damage caused by the country's coronavirus crisis.

The epidemic began gathering momentum shortly before China's Lunar New Year holiday, which usually becomes the biggest box office week in the world. After health officials advised the public to avoid congregating in crowded places, studios canceled all of their upcoming holiday tentpole film releases, and the bulk of China's