China Film Execs Claim 'Terminator' a Victim of Box-Office Fraud to Boost Propaganda Movie

Something stinks at the Chinese box office – at least that's what the CEOs of the country's two largest private film studios are suggesting.

Since its release on Aug. 28, Chinese propaganda film The Hundred Regiments Offensive has been battling Paramount's Terminator: Genisys for the top spot at the Chinese box office, now the world's second most valuable film market.

The Chinese government has cited patriotism spurred by last week's 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II as the key to the film's success. But a broad swath of China's film community – from ordinary viewers to cinema managers to studio heads – have raised questions about the nationalistic war epic's outsize performance.

The top movie in China for the month was Chow Yun-Fat starrer The Man From Macau II, which brought in $104 million, followed by historical action movie Dragon Blade, starring Jackie Chan,John Cusack and Adrien Brody, which accumulated $95 million during the month.

In third place was the $40 million Sino-French epic Wolf Totem, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, which brought in $72 million.

In fourth was Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal, a $30 million, 3D, VFX fantasy action adventure co-directed by Peter Pau and Zhao Tianyu and produced by Ann An of Desen International Media, with $56 million, followed by Xu Jinglei's romance Somewhere Only We Know with $44 million.