BEIJING — Spider-Man could soon swing over Beijing, chasing Optimus Prime and despicable minions through a $3.3 billion Universal theme park aimed at capitalizing on China’s rising middle class and growing demand for all things animated.

China has been a major booster of animated movies such as “Transformers: Age of Extinction” – which was partly filmed in China – and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Brand is becoming more important to Chinese market as its middle class pours cash into entertainment, and malls and parks across China are installing animation and cartoon-themed attractions to woo visitors, says global architecture firm AECOM.

The Chinese film industry is set to overtake the U.S. box office in the next three years, leading to more demand for Western entertainment, said Gary Goddard, founder of entertainment design firm Goddard Group in North Hollywood, California.

The 1,000-acre Beijing park will include attractions from other Universal parks, rides that reflect China’s cultural heritage, a Universal CityWalk entertainment zone and a Universal-themed resort hotel. It will be the third Universal park in Asia, joining others in Singapore and Osaka, Japan.

Comcast NBCUniversal is building the property with four Chinese state-owned partners. An opening date wasn’t announced.

China is home to 11 of the top 20 amusement parks in Asia with about 166 million visits in 2013. Revenue is expected to total nearly $3 billion this year, estimates research firm IBISWorld.

There are 59 more parks in the pipeline, and by 2020, theme park attendance in China could overtake the U.S. market’s 220 million visits last year, according to AECOM. As U.S. and European amusement parks see flatter or declining attendance, theme park companies are betting on China to drive expansion.


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