In a statement posted on its official account on Sina Weibo, China's X-like platform, the filmmakers said they had made the decision "after careful consideration" in order to give more moviegoers a chance to see the film.

"To honor the three years of work poured into this project by a team of more than 1,000 people, and to give more audiences who want to watch Three Kingdoms: The Beginning an opportunity to see it, we have decided to temporarily conclude this theatrical run and meet audiences again at a later date," the statement said.

It added that while the film had received positive feedback from many viewers, "the current market no longer provides enough space for audiences who want to see the film to comfortably walk into theaters."

Tickets for the movie remained available on Maoyan and other major Chinese ticketing platforms through next Saturday, the Global Times reporter found.

Released on July 10, the film has grossed 82.7 million yuan ($12.21 million) and holds an 8.1 rating on Chinese review platform Douban, according to ticketing data.

The move comes despite an unusual marketing campaign launched on July 17, when the producers introduced a "money-back guarantee" for dissatisfied viewers. Under the policy, audiences who purchased tickets on or after July 17 could apply for a refund by providing their ticket information and identification if they felt the movie was not worth watching.

"Please give it a try — if you don't like it, we'll refund you," the studio wrote at the time, describing the film as "a meticulously crafted opening chapter of an epic Three Kingdoms saga, created with sincerity and in the hope of earning a chance to be seen by audiences."

The strategy, however, failed to reverse the film's declining screen share.

The epic feature film re-imagines one of the most storied eras in Chinese history. The Three Kingdoms period (220-280) holds a preeminent place in Chinese cultural memory, with broad cultural and literary narratives about the era often beginning in the final decades of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), when warfare, political intrigue and personal ambition reshaped the country, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The film centers on the early careers of two men whose eventual clash would have deep historical ramifications: Cao Cao, a fiery junior official from a less prestigious family, and Yuan Shao, a scion of one of the most powerful aristocratic clans of the age.

It is by Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation, whose previous credits include Chang An, White Snake series, the latest film is the first installment in Light Chaser Animation's new Three Kingdoms franchise.

Zhang Peng, a cultural researcher and associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the film's performance reflects both fierce competition and the challenges facing serious historical animation in China's increasingly crowded theatrical market.

This year's summer season has been dominated by commercially broader titles. Fantasy animated drama All Wishes Come True has surpassed 650 million yuan at the box office, while Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Soccer has earned more than 1.87 billion yuan. Adding to the pressure, Sony's latest Spider-Man film Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set for an early July 29 release in China, two days before the North American market. accompanied by a promotional tour by cast and crew. Tom Holland and Zendaya were spotted shopping in Shanghai and sampling local cuisine. They were reportedly in the city to attend the film's premiere on July 24. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey will be screened in cinemas on the Chinese mainland on August 14.

Amid fierce competition, Hollywood's accelerated China releases underscore the market's enduring importance to global studios, remarked Zhang.

According to Zhang, film withdrawals and re-releases are not uncommon in China. Yet he noted that changing release dates alone does not guarantee success.

In many cases, changing release dates is a last attempt to minimize losses. Unlike previous withdrawn films, it is a serious historical animation centered on the political turmoil preceding the Three Kingdoms period — a niche topic that may be difficult for younger viewers and family audiences, he noted.

In addition, the film also arrived at a time when audience tastes appear increasingly polarized between highly entertaining blockbusters and emotionally resonant cultural stories.