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President Donald J. Trump’s ongoing tariff war with China has officially opened up a new front, as Chinese officials confirm that the country will limit the number of U.S. movies allowed into theaters — not that the President is upset about that decision, it seems.

For those following along at home, the White House announced on Thursday that the minimum tariff rate imposed on Chinese imports to the U.S. currently stands at a staggering 145 percent, after the President again arbitrarily raised the amount on Wednesday. In response, the China Film Administration — an official organization that is in charge of film releases and distribution for the country, announced that it would “follow market rules, respect the audience’s choice, and moderately reduce the number of American films imported” into the country, adding, “China is the world’s second-largest film market.”

Sources told the Hollywood Reporter that this shift could go into effect early enough to put the release of Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, just scheduled for an April 30 release, in jeopardy, with the outlet reporting that “it’s now unclear whether that release will go forward.”

The news impacts an industry already facing an uncertain future as tariffs could force up production costs, reduce merchandise sales, and harm ad spending that can help fund television and movie production. Already, at least one studio — Warner Bros. Discovery — is reported to be looking at ways to cut costs.

Asked about China’s move and the impact it might have on the movie industry in a press conference, President Trump laughed and said, “I think I’ve heard of worse things.”

It’s a response that everyone should have probably expected, given that the President has often spoken with disdain about the movie industry and celebrities he dislikes, even going so far as to name three aging right-wing actors as “special ambassadors” to what he called a “very troubled place, Hollywood, California” as soon as he returned to office earlier this year. 

China’s decision to limit movie distribution in the second largest movie market in the world is likely to have very real consequences for the movie industry — but the question really becomes, if the President doesn’t care, what point is being made beyond hurting filmmakers and film lovers alike?

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