Olympics puts hold on box office

Games takes chunk out of take

By CLIFFORD COONAN

The Olympics may have turned the Beijing sky blue, but the outlook for the box office is gray.

Chinese B.O. for Aug. 4-10, the week that the Games opened, was 54 million yuan ($7.86 million), down 35% on the previous year, according to the China Film Group.

Some 2 million people went to cinemas, down 32% year on year.

Theaters are hoping today’s release of “The Incredible Hulk” on the Chinese mainland will scare up auds.