HBO’s decision to back the film stands in contrast to another recent case of a political documentary from an acclaimed filmmaker, Bryan Fogel’s Jamal Khashoggi movie “The Dissident." Global streamers passed on the film, possibly because of fears of economic reprisal from the Saudi government. Aynne Kokas, a UVA professor and author of “Hollywood Made In China,” about their relationship, said a film’s popularity was a key variable in China’s reaction. But “if it does go viral I can see possible penalties for other HBO shows and significant impact for broader Warner Media distribution.”