You simply can’t put up serious global box office numbers without opening in China, and while it looked for a minute like Rogue One might not be getting a Chinese release date, the film has now secured one in early January, just as Star Wars: The Force Awakens had done.
There’s a great deal riding on the box office performance of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
While a certain level of success if confidently expected, hopes are much higher than that.
However, the film just took a major step toward realizing those dreams.