Chinese Box Office Booms During Lunar New Year With Record-Breaking Weekend

The Chinese box office experienced a significant surge during the Lunar New Year holiday, driven by the high-profile releases of five major films. According to Artisan Gateway, these releases contributed to a weekend gross of $536.9 million.

Over the five-day holiday, the cumulative box office revenue reached $1.24 billion. This represents a substantial 234.1% increase from the same period the previous year. The success was fueled by strong debuts and exceptional performances in Imax screenings.

"Ne Zha 2" from Enlight Pictures emerged as the clear winner, opening with a two-day debut of RMB2.16 billion ($300 million). The animated sequel follows the mythological hero in a new adventure, continuing the franchise's dominance in China. Its cumulative gross has already exceeded $434.2 million, solidifying its position as the holiday's undisputed box office champion. Notably, the film also led the Imax box office, generating $22.1 million.

"Ne Zha 2" surpassed the previous record held by "Moana 2," which had opened with $386.3 million last year. With two days remaining in the Lunar New Year holidays, the film remains on track to become the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time, potentially surpassing the $913 million earned by "The Battle at Lake Changjin." Moreover, it is poised to break the record for the highest-grossing animated film in a single market, currently held by "Inside Out 2" with $653 million.

In second place, "Detective Chinatown 1900" from As One Production debuted with $133.9 million. The fourth installment in the popular crime-comedy franchise is set in the early 20th century and follows a detective solving a high-stakes case in Shanghai. The film also performed well in Imax, contributing $2.6 million to its cumulative gross of $253.1 million.

"Creation of the Gods 2" from Beijing Culture took third place with a $41.2 million weekend. The sequel to the successful fantasy epic from 2023 has accumulated a total of $124.3 million. Imax screenings have accounted for a substantial $7.3 million of its earnings, highlighting the appeal of visually immersive formats.

"Ne Zha 2," "Detective Chinatown 1900," and "Creation of the Gods 2" are currently the top three films at the international box office, according to Comscore.

"Boonie Bears: Future Reborn" from Fantawild Animation ranked fourth with $26.8 million. The family-friendly animated franchise continues to be a staple during the Lunar New Year, attracting audiences with its engaging storylines. The film has earned a total of $57.9 million.

Rounding out the top five, "Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants" from China Film debuted with $21.3 million. Tsui Hark's martial arts epic, based on the classic novel by Jin Yong, received strong support from Imax screenings, earning $3.5 million. The film has accumulated a total of $75.4 million.

The Lunar New Year period also witnessed a record-breaking performance for Imax, with a historic $43 million weekend. Five Lunar New Year titles screened in Imax contributed $38.1 million through Sunday, surpassing the previous record of $34 million set in 2023.

"Blockbusters are back in China, in a bigger way than even the most optimistic among us could've imagined," said Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax. "These early, historic Chinese New Year results indicate that softness in the Chinese box office last year was a result of supply, not demand — and that the tentpole-heavy local language slate ahead for 2025 is very well positioned for success."

As the holiday period continues through February 5th, China's theatrical market is anticipated to maintain its momentum. This reinforces the optimism for the box office's complete recovery from the downturn experienced in 2024.