Late Sunday evening in Beijing, Asura's official social media accounts posted a simple statement saying that the film would be pulled from cinemas as of 10 p.m. local time.
After landing in theaters with limited fanfare, China's priciest picture ever would vanish from the scene entirely.
Asura is co-produced by Zhenjian Film Studio and Ningxia Film Group — two of the investors behind the successful Painted Skin fantasy franchise — along with Alibaba Pictures Group and other minority investors.
The statement announcing Asura's retreat from cinemas supplied no explanation for the unprecedented move.
A spokesperson for the film declined to comment when contacted by THR on Monday.
The film is an original dramatization of ancient Tibetan mythology, with a vast set of characters occupying different heavenly realms.
The film is the directorial debut of Hollywood stunt coordinator-turned-filmmaker Peng Zhang (Rush Hour 3, Twilight 1 & 2). »