(Yicai Global) Jan. 23 -- A total of seven new movies which set for release during the Chinese New Year were all declared postponed today due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus-caused pneumonia.

The films include the animation 'Legend of Deification,' which is based on the ancient legend of Jia Ziya -- a Chinese aristocrat who helped the kings of Wen and Wu of Zhou overthrow the barbarian Shang dynasty in ancient times -- and produced by Beijing Enlight Media, will delay its release originally slated for Jan. 25, the first day of the Chinese New Year, because of the outbreak of the Wuhan pneumonia, the production team announced today on China's Twitter-like Weibo.

The movie, considered to be the sequel to Nezha, the most popular motion picture in China last year, which netted a total box office of CNY5 billion (USD723 million), has not yet announced its new schedule. 

Shares in Beijing Enlight Media [SHE:300251] dropped 4.95 percent to CNY10.57 by 1.25 p.m. on the news, as the film will miss out on the Spring Festival box office bonanza, the peak time for the country's cinema sector.    

Another cartoon production set for release during the lunar new year break, 'Boonie Bears: The Wild Life,' has also been pushed back, per an announcement by its producers earlier today, as has 'Zhong Guo Nv Pai,' a movie based on the true story of China's women's national volleyball team. None of the producers of the seven films have yet announced a new date for their premiers.

Editor: Ben Armour