PETALING JAYA: Two Hong Kong titles set for Chinese New Year release at cinemas nationwide have been postponed until further notice. Table for Six (starring Dayo Wong, Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung and Ivana Wong) and Chilli Laugh Story featuring actors Sandra Ng, Ronald Cheng and Gigi Leung were originally slated to start screening in Malaysia on Feb 9.

       “We regret that both the Hong Kong Chinese New Year movies Table for Six and Chilli Laugh Story have to be deferred until further notice due to the pandemic situation in Hong Kong,” GSC Movies senior manager Esther Hau told The Star.

       “This has been our predicament with the coronavirus outbreaks since 2020. We hope that the situation in Hong Kong will improve and we will soon be able to release them over here,” she added.

       Hong Kong is currently struggling to cope with simultaneous outbreaks of the highly transmissible Delta and Omicron variants with a record number of daily cases.

       The health crisis is adversely affecting its movie industry as the spring festival is traditionally a lucrative period for Hong Kong films.

       While the two Hong Kong titles are shelved, locally-produced Chinese New Year movies are still showing at local cinemas.

       Among the films are Namewee’s fantasy comedy Nasi Lemak 1.0, Small Town Heroes that explores the strong bond between two young boys at an orphanage and Kongsi Raya that looks at love that goes beyond race and religion.

       Also in the list are Singaporean-produced films such as Reunion Dinner and Ah Girls Go Army.

       As at press time, a kung fu period piece starring Donnie Yen and Louis Koo, New Kung Fu Cult Master 1, is still on schedule to open on Feb 1.