'Avatar' Screenings Limited in China; Officials Fear Tale Could Cause Civil Unrest

James Cameron's Golden Globe-winning "Avatar" has spent over a month atop the worldwide box office charts, raking in nearly $2 billion and staying on track to become the highest grossing movie of all time. But it won't be getting any help from the world's most populous nation: Just after its release in China, a state-run film group has ordered that "Avatar" be shown only in 3D, effectively keeping it out of the country because China has so few 3D theaters. The film was expected to make another 500 million yuan (about $73 million) in China, the London Telegraph reports.

Chinese officials are worried that the plot of "Avatar," which involves a former U.S. Marine who joins an indigenous tribe to fight against the destruction of their planet by an American corporation, would lead to civil unrest. Some drew parallels between the film's militant corporate antagonists and predatory property developers in China.

"Reportedly, the authorities have two reasons for this check on 'Avatar': first, it has taken in too much money and has seized market share from domestic films, and second, it may lead audiences to think about forced removal, and may possibly incite violence," Hong Kong's Apple Daily reported.

For the brief time it was available, "Avatar" drew long lines to Chinese theaters despite one of the country's coldest winters in years. The few IMAX 3D showings available are now booked for weeks.