騰訊影業退出真相
The hotly anticipated sequel to Hollywood’s 1980s classic “Top Gun: Maverick” has taken off to great critical and box office success worldwide.
備受期待的80年代好萊塢經典電影的續集《捍衛戰士：獨行俠》全球影評票房讚譽有加。
sequel(n.)(書或電影的)續篇;續集take off(飛機)起飛、突然成功、飛黃騰達critical(adj.)批評的;評論家的;評判性的film critics影評人
Yet in Taiwan, the 2022 summer blockbuster soared to legendary status not for its gravity-defying dogfight sequences, but over one prop detail insignificant in size, with major political implications: the presence of the nation’s flag.
然而，在台灣，這部2022年夏季大片飆升至傳奇地位，並不是因為戰鬥機對抗地吸引力在空中格鬥的片段，而是因為一個看似微不足道，但卻具有重大政治意涵的道具細節：台灣的國旗。
blockbuster(n.)票房賣座片gravity-defying(adj.)對抗地吸引力的、抵抗重力的dogfight(n.)(兩架戰鬥機之間的)空中格鬥;激戰imply(v.)暗示implication(n.)含意、暗指、暗示
The original 1986 “Top Gun,” which propelled Tom Cruise’s career to international stardom, was a quintessentially 1980s action romp with no political pretense – aside from the obligatory assertion of America’s military might.
最初1986年的《捍衛戰士》讓阿湯哥一躍成為國際巨星，是一部典型的80年代動作片，除了非得展現美國軍事的實力外，沒有任何政治色彩。
propel(v.)推動;使前進、驅動、驅使propeller(n.)螺旋槳quintessentially(adv.)典型地;標準的=typicallyromp(n.)鬧劇;嬉鬧pretense(n.)假裝;矯飾;偽裝obligatory(adj.)義務的;必須的;強制的assertion(n.)斷言;明確肯定military might軍事實力
Cruise’s character rocked a bomber jacket with both the Japanese and Republic of China’s flags patched on – something inconsequential then, but unacceptable at a time when Chinese moviegoers can shoot down even the most Stars-and-Stripes of all films.
阿湯哥飾演的角色穿著一件車有日本和中華民國國旗臂章的飛行員夾克，這在當時是無關緊要的，但在中國影迷甚至可以「擊落」所有電影中最多星條旗的時候，這是不可接受的。
rock(v.)穿著a bomber jacket 飛行夾克inconsequential(adj.)不重要的;微不足道的=not important=insignificant
China bans any hint that Taiwan is a sovereign nation, and Hollywood has been happy to comply, lest they be blocked from the lucrative Chinese market.
中國禁止任何「台灣是主權獨立國家」的暗示，好萊塢很樂意遵守，以免被擋在利潤豐厚的中國市場之外。
sovereign(adj.)主權獨立的comply(v.)服從、遵守、依從=abide=obey=followlest(conj.)唯恐;以免;惟恐;生怕for fear that..生怕，以免
Producers of the sequel chose to dodge any flak by swapping out the flags with ambiguous emblems in early 2019 trailers.
續集的製片人選擇在2019年初的預告片中更換旗幟，用模糊的徽章替代，以免遭到攻擊。
dodge(v.)躲避;閃躲flak(n.)嚴厲批評;激烈反對ambiguous(adj.)含糊不清的、模棱兩可的、不明確的emblem(n.)徽章
China’s Tencent Pictures was one of the film’s financiers after all.
畢竟，中國的騰訊影業是這部電影的出資方。
financier(n.)出資人;出資方
Tencent Pictures eventually removed themselves from the project out of concern that the topic of the film – still a celebration of American jingoism – would alienate Beijing at a time when tension with Washington was sky-high.
騰訊影業最終退出了這個項目，因為擔心電影主題——仍然是對美國沙文主義的頌揚——會讓北京在與華盛頓的緊張之時受到孤立。
remove sb. from sth. 把某人從～移除jingoism(n.)極端愛國主義;沙文主義=extreme patriotism
With Chinese involvement off the runway, the production jettisoned self-censorship and took the maverick decision to reinstate the flags in its theatrical version.
隨著中資退出，製作放棄了自我審查，並做出了一個特立獨行的決定，在劇院版本中恢復使用台灣國旗。
jettison(v.)放棄(想法或計劃)censor(n.)審查員(v.)審查censorship(n.)審查;審查制度reinstate(v.)使恢復原狀
Taiwanese viewers rejoiced on social media, and so did American fans, worn out by years of China pandering in Hollywood productions.
台灣觀眾在社交媒體上歡欣鼓舞，美國粉絲也是，因多年來他們已厭倦好萊塢製作刻意討好中國。
rejoice(v.)覺得高興=feel joyfulwear out 使筋疲力竭;使厭倦(wear-wore-worn)
“Hollywood is now pushing back,” former movie executive Chris Fenton told Bloomberg. “The market is simply not worth the aggravation anymore in attempting to please Chinese censors.”
前好萊塢製片克里斯·芬頓告訴彭博社「好萊塢現在正在反擊」。「（現在的）市場根本不值得再去討好中方的審查員。」
aggravation(n.)煩惱;惱人的事=trouble
With $612.2 million already earned ahead of its third weekend against a $170 million budget, “Top Gun: Maverick” is already a financial success, even without a Chinese release.
憑藉1.7億美元的預算，《捍衛戰士：獨行俠》在上映第三個週末之前已經賺進6.122億美元，即使沒有在中國上映票房依然賣座。
budget(n.)預算