<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[GameUP24]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://gameup24.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[William A.]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://gameup24.wordpress.com/author/louzwate/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Star Wars: Rogue One Gets Release Date for Second-Biggest Movie Market in the&nbsp;World]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<div><img src='https://i0.wp.com/static.gamespot.com/uploads/screen_medium/1179/11799911/3166717-r15.jpg' style='max-width:600px;' /></p>
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<p><em>Star Wars: Rogue One</em> has secured a release in China, according to<a href="http://ift.tt/2gS8pFN"> The Hollywood Reporter</a>. The sci-fi spinoff will come out on January 6, 2017 in the country, which is a few weeks after the movie debuts in the United States and other parts of the world on December 16.</p>
<figure><a href="http://ift.tt/2gbbhtx"><img alt="Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe in Rogue One" src="http://ift.tt/2gbbhtx"></a><figcaption>Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe in Rogue One</figcaption></figure>
<p>Launching in a China is a big deal, THR notes, because it&#8217;s the second-largest market for movies in the world, behind the US. One recent example of how a Chinese release can buoy a film&#8217;s box office haul was the video game movie <em>Warcraft</em>. It did poorly domestically, but a <a href="http://ift.tt/2a18MvS">strong showing in China</a> helped it bring in more than $430 million worldwide.</p>
<p>2015&#8217;s <em>Star Wars: The Force Awakens </em>also came to China, launching in there in early January 2016. The film ended up making $125.4 million at the Chinese box office, compared to $936 million in the US. As THR explains, the Star Wars series does not do historically do as well in China.</p>
<p>In an effort to change this, THR explains that Disney launched a local marketing blitz that included a poster for the film with its Chinese stars, Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen, up front. <a href="http://ift.tt/2gS8pFN">Go to THR</a> to see the poster.</p>
<p>The movie is expected to make<a href="http://ift.tt/2f3Ol3w"> around $130 million during its opening weekend in the US</a>, which would be the second-highest December opening ever, only behind <em>The Force Awakens</em>. Overall, <em>Rogue One </em>is <a href="http://ift.tt/2cTU0pd">not projected to make as much as <em>The Force Awakens</em></a>, which is no surprise given it&#8217;s a spinoff. <em>The Force Awakens </em>($2.07 billion) stands as the third-biggest movie in history, behind <em>Titanic</em> ($2.18 billion) and <em>Avatar</em> ($2.78 billion).</p>
<p><em>Rogue One </em>is directed by <em>Godzilla</em>&#8216;s Gareth Edwards. Earlier this week, Lucasfilm released a <a href="http://ift.tt/2h2khFX">new video for the movie that introduces viewers to main character Jyn Erso</a>, who is played by Felicity Jones. Another new video <a href="http://ift.tt/2hdOu0Y">showed off Darth Vader and Stormtrooper battles on the tropical planet of Scarif</a>.</p>
<p>While you have to wait a bit longer to see <em>Rogue One</em>, you can <a href="http://ift.tt/2gLpMs1">pick up Star Wars: Battlefront&#8217;s tie-in DLC, Rogue One: Scarif, right now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC</a>. The DLC features four maps set on Scarif and adds Jyn Erso and Orson Krennic as playable characters.</p>
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<p><em>Source: <a style="text-decoration:none;" href="http://ift.tt/2gCIyyS">GameSpot</a></em></div>
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