A poster of the film The Decisive Moment

The production team of Chinese sci-fi film The Decisive Moment issued an official statement via its Weibo account on Sunday night, announcing its withdrawal from theatrical release, merely two days after the movie hit cinemas nationwide on July 25.

"After careful consideration by the team, we have decided to reschedule the release of The Decisive Moment. This sci-fi film set against the backdrop of China's space exploration endeavors pays tribute to generations of aerospace workers. It features timeless devotion transcending time and space, alongside adventures and tough choices amid deep-space exploration," read the statement.

"We young creators have imagined countless times how the film would greet audiences on the big screen. However, weighing current circumstances, we recognize this story deserves to meet viewers at a more appropriate time," the statement continued. 

This marks the second domestic summer blockbuster confirmed to pull out of theatrical release this weekend.

Chinese animated film Three Kingdoms: The Beginning has been pulled from theaters and will be re-released at a later date after struggling to find an audience in one of China's most competitive summer movie seasons, its producers announced Saturday night.

The production team said 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."

Released on July 10, the film had grossed 81.46 million yuan ($11.96 million) as of Saturday night and holds an 8.1 rating on Chinese review platform Douban, according to ticketing data.

Director Xie Junwei said during a recent livestream that nearly 1,000 crew members took part in making The Three Kingdoms: The Beginning. The team poured 120 percent of their efforts into the project across three years. Still, the box office fell short of expectations, and he felt guilty for it, Shanghai Observer reported. 

While total box office is surging this summer season, competition is also getting fiercer.

The total box office of summer 2026 movies (including advance ticket sales) has exceeded 5.7 billion yuan as of Monday morning, over 1 billion yuan higher than the same period of last summer vacation.

More than 120 Chinese and foreign films will be released during this year's summer movie season, covering a wide range of genres including history, comedy, action, animation and science fiction, according to media reports. 

This year's summer season has been dominated by commercially broader titles. Fantasy animated drama All Wishes Come True has surpassed 770 million yuan at the box office as of Monday morning, while Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Soccer has earned more than 1.95 billion yuan. 

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. 

The production team of The Decisive Moment said that all previously scheduled roadshows and offline events will be canceled. "We will actively and properly arrange full ticket refunds. We sincerely apologize for all inconveniences caused to ticket buyers and partner cinemas, and earnestly ask for your understanding."