Hollywood movie studios, about to enter the most crucial time of the year for ticket sales, are being forced to delay the Mexico releases of their big early-summer movies, including “Star Trek,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “Angels & Demons” as theaters there close because of the swine flu epidemic sweeping the country.

Such a delay could cost the studios tens of millions in revenue at a time when they are increasingly relying on international box office to offset production and marketing expenses. Mexico ranks in the top 10 movie markets, accounting for about 6 percent of foreign ticket sales.

It could also undercut the performance of movies when they eventually open in theaters by giving pirated DVD copies a chance to flood the market.

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