A big-budget Chinese film aimed at winning over Taiwanese audiences has been shelved indefinitely, an embarrassment for Beijing's messaging campaign toward Taiwan.

• The movie was set to open on July 25 but was pulled six days before release, and it will also miss the Mid-Autumn holiday slot.
• Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council mocked the delay, saying it is waiting for Beijing to officially declare the project dead and suggesting people involved may be punished.
• The problem is the film's version of history: it casts Qing admiral Shi Lang as a national hero and Koxinga as a Taiwan-independence figure.
• That framing clashes with popular sentiment — temples honoring Koxinga are common in Taiwan, while shrines to Shi Lang are almost nonexistent.
• The production reportedly cost over 100 million yuan, making it a costly misfire for China's influence effort.

Outlook: The film looks unlikely to reach cinemas any time soon, and Beijing may quietly bury it rather than announce a cancellation.