The Shawshank Redemption Photo: Douban

Several Hollywood classics are returning to Chinese mainland cinemas following the end of the summer movie season, offering audiences a chance to revisit familiar films while helping theaters fill screens during a traditionally slower period.

The re-releases also come as China's movie market shows signs of renewed strength. China's 2026 summer box office was the highest in three years, underscoring a rebound in theatrical demand and reinforcing the importance of the Chinese market to Hollywood studios and international distributors, industry experts noted.

The Shawshank Redemption has grossed more than 18 million yuan ($2.68 million) in its first 11 days, while Quentin Tarantino's 276-minute Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair took in more than 22 million yuan in its first four days, making it the highest-grossing action film in the Chinese mainland in September so far, according to box-office data platform Maoyan.

The trend will continue with Avengers: Endgame's encore, which is scheduled for a mainland re-release on September 25. The re-release will feature a customized opening, additional footage, a newly produced ending and a special post-credit scene. Its final sequence will also connect directly with Avengers: Doomsday, the next installment in the Marvel franchise.

Tang Ye, a longtime Marvel fan in Beijing, saw Avengers: Endgame with friends when it was released in 2019. After hearing that the re-release will feature new scenes, she told the Global Times she plans to see it again in theaters.

The wave of classic film re-releases comes as China's summer movie season, which typically runs from June through August, draws to a close. September is traditionally a quieter period for cinemas, with fewer major domestic releases.

For theaters, established films can provide a relatively low-risk way to attract audiences and fill screens. Unlike new releases, classics already have recognizable titles, established fan bases and proven reputations, while generally requiring less promotional spending, Zhang Peng, a cultural researcher and associate professor at Nanjing Normal University, told the Global Times.

The trend is not limited to a handful of Hollywood blockbusters. Since the beginning of the year, classics including The Shining, Jaws, Memento and Triangle have entered mainland cinemas for the first time or returned after long absences.

Many of the films returning to Chinese cinemas are established classics or major franchises with a strong following among Chinese audiences. Some never received an official mainland theatrical release, while others have been absent from the big screen for years.

That has fueled a "make-up ticket" effect, as viewers who previously watched the films at home seek to experience them in theaters, according to Zhang.

Technology has also given old films a new selling point. Digitally restored versions with improved picture and sound, as well as premium-screen formats, offer audiences an experience that cannot be easily replicated on television or streaming platforms.

The growing number of re-releases also reflects a broader strategy of making greater use of established intellectual property. In the case of Avengers: Endgame, newly added material tied to Avengers: Doomsday turns the re-release into more than a nostalgic screening, giving Marvel an opportunity to build anticipation for its next film.

The strategy also highlights the continued importance of the Chinese market to Hollywood studios, both as a source of box-office revenue and as a key audience for major global releases, noted Zhang.