'Skyscraper' to release amidst summer blackout in China

'The Rock's upcoming action thriller 'Skyscraper' has locked down a release date in China in the midst of Beijing's usual summer blackout on imported Hollywood fare.

The movie will now release on July 20 in China.

The involvement of Legendary Entertainment, which is owned by Chinese

conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, and the film's setting in Hong Kong, can be the reason that may have played a hand in Skyscraper getting permission to screen during the summer blackout, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Usually, domestic Chinese releases are reserved for this time of the year.

Dwayne Johnson stars in the movie as a former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran. On an assignment in China, he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly ablaze, and he's been framed for it.

It is written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.

Earlier on Tuesday, Johnson sent the Chinese audience a shoutout over Instagram after his most recent release, 'Rampage', became his biggest star vehicle to date in China.

He wrote, "THANK YOU CHINA and I'm TRULY blown away and humbled by this monumental news. RAMPAGE becomes my highest grossing film of all time in the Middle Kingdom. RAMPAGE becomes the 2nd highest grossing Warner Bros film of all time. This stat is mind boggling considering we've now surpassed, HARRY POTTER and BATMAN just to name a few. RAMPAGE has officially hit the rare $1BILLION RMB mark and has become a TOP 20 all time grossing international film. I'm extremely grateful to the people and culture of CHINA for embracing me and my films the way they have over the years. THANK YOU for your love and support - and as always, I look forward to coming back! #RAMPAGE #CareerAllTimeHigh #CHINA."

Other major upcoming Hollywood summer titles, such as Disney and Marvel's 'Ant-Man' and 'Wasp' have yet to land dates in China.