Tom and Jerryis one ofthe most iconic cartoon seriesof all time. Since their debut 85 years ago, the acclaimed cat and mouse duo have appeared in numerous short films, TV series, and feature films. The 2021 reboot movie attracted considerable press, but unfortunately, it didn’t translate into critical or commercial success. However, most fans probably don’t know that a new film is on the way. It will be here sooner than you think, set to hit theaters in August.
With as much attention as the 2021 movie received, it’s strange to think that another flick could go virtually unnoticed. ButTom and Jerry: Forbidden Compassis a co-production between China and Warner Bros. Animation. It debuted at the Shanghai International Film Festival in June, witha Chinese releasescheduled for August 9. ButTom and Jerryis a uniquely American property, so why is it shifting to China for this release? The Chinese film market is incredibly strong, and there’s a real chance that this Tom and Jerry movie could be their most profitable yet, thanks to the Chinese market alone. So let’s look at what else we know, and ifForbidden Compasscould see a release in the United States.
Tom and Jerry’s Trip to Asia
Everyone knows the premise ofTom and Jerry.Cat tries to catch mouse, mouse outwits him, and cat suffers. Rinse and repeat for almost a century. Some entries slightly shake up the formula, such as pairing Tom and Jerry together as allies, but the core outline remains the same. So what happens inTom and Jerry: Forbidden Compass?It will reportedly follow the two titular characters as they time travel through a museum. They’ll meet new friends along the way, face new challenges, and confront unknown forces. It’s the thirdTom and Jerrytheatrical film, after the 2021 live-action movie and a truly bizarre 1992 animated one, where we learned the duo can talk, but chose not to all these years.
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We have seen this franchise tackle fantasy before. ButForbidden Compasscould represent a fun new take on this eight-and-a-half-decade-old property. This isn’t Tom and Jerry’s first visit to Asia either. In 2023, Warner Bros. debuted a series of shorts produced by and exclusively aired in Singapore. Another series of shorts made for Japanese audiences followed. Wu Zhou Film Distribution Co. is set to handle the distribution ofForbidden Compass, which rolls out in China on August 9. There is currently no information about a potential US release date.Forbidden Compasscould be released in the United States at some point, possibly through streaming, rather than in theaters. However, thanks to the power of the Chinese film market, it may still generate a healthy profit without relying on the US.
The Power of the Chinese Film Market
Hollywood remains the world’s leading market, but China is gaining ground. Its box office briefly surpassed the US in COVID-dominated 2020, but America retook the crown in 2022. In 2024, the US box office grossed approximately $8.8 billion. That was down significantly from the $11.3 billion in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and the strikes took their toll. It was still enough to beat China’s 2024 total of $5.8 billion, but the gap is closing. China’s total gross in 2025 is predicted to rise to anywhere between $7 billion and $10 billion. That could push it past theUS’s projected $9 billion.
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Tailoring American properties to Chinese audiences makes sense due to the size of the market. Imported US films have historically performed well; however, the tide has shifted in recent years.China has been focusing on producing more homegrown blockbusters rather than importing them from other countries. Couple that with the uncertainty around President Trump’sproposed 100% tariffson foreign-produced films, and it’s not a great environment for international cooperation. Why not just make your ownTom and Jerryinstead of importing it? We know that Chinese audiences have an appetite for animation.
Earlier this year,Ne Zha 2quietly knocked offInside Out 2as thehighest-grossing animated film of all time. Virtually no one outside of China had heard of the flick before that. It quickly became both the first animated and non-American film to cross the$2 billion mark. No one is saying thatTom and Jerryis a $2 billion property. However, the 2021 movie grossed just $136 million (in peak COVID times, to be fair). China’s booming industry could enableForbidden Compassto easily surpass that mark. If it’s successful, we could see more and more American properties remade for overseas viewers. Hollywood may soon lose its status as the global production leader it has enjoyed for a century. In the meantime, any MovieWeb readers in China should check outTom and Jerry: Forbidden Compasswhen it hits theaters on August 9.
