China Box Office: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Leads Massive Lunar New Year Surge to $1.2 Billion as Imax Breaks Records
The Chinese box office experienced a massive boost over the Lunar New Year holiday, with five major releases propelling weekend earnings to $536.9 million, according to Artisan Gateway.
The five-day holiday frame delivered a cumulative total of $1.24 billion for 2025, marking a 234.1% increase from the same period last year, driven by strong debuts and record-setting performances in Imax.
More from Variety
Enlight Pictures’ “Ne Zha 2” led the charge, opening to RMB2.16 billion ($300 million) in its two-day debut. The sequel to the 2019 animated hit follows the mythological hero in a new fantasy adventure, continuing the franchise’s dominance at the Chinese box office. Its cumulative gross has already reached $434.2 million, making it the undisputed leader of the holiday period. The film also led the Imax box office, generating $22.1 million, making it the fastest Imax release to surpass RMB100 million in China and the 13th highest-grossing local-language film in Imax history.
The five-day opening for “Ne Zha 2” sees it sail past the previous record holder “Moana 2,” which had opened with $386.3 million last year. With two days still to go for the Lunar New Year holidays, if “Ne Zha 2” maintains its trajectory, it is on track to become the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time, overtaking the $913 million gross of “The Battle at Lake Changjin.” Barring a dramatic slowdown, “Ne Zha 2” also seems set to cross the “Inside Out 2” $653 million record of the highest animated grosser in a single market.
In second place, As One Production’s “Detective Chinatown 1900” debuted with $133.9 million, adding another successful entry to the popular crime-comedy franchise. The fourth installment in the series 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, bringing in $2.6 million from premium large-format screenings. It has reached a cumulative total of $253.1 million.
Beijing Culture’s “Creation of the Gods 2,” the sequel to the 2023 successful fantasy epic, secured third place with a $41.2 million weekend. Imax contributed $7.3 million to the film’s total, further emphasizing its appeal in visually immersive formats. The film’s cumulative total stands at $124.3 million.
Fantawild Animation’s “Boonie Bears: Future Reborn” ranked fourth with $26.8 million. The long-running animated franchise remains a Lunar New Year staple, consistently attracting family audiences. The film has now reached $57.9 million in total earnings.
Rounding out the top five, China Film’s “Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants” debuted with $21.3 million. Tsui Hark’s martial arts epic, based on the classic Jin Yong novel, also saw strong support from Imax screenings, earning $3.5 million. The film’s cumulative total stands at $75.4 million.
The Lunar New Year period also delivered a record-breaking performance for Imax, with a historic $43 million weekend. Five Lunar New Year titles in Imax contributed $38.1 million through Sunday, surpassing 2023’s $34 million record with two days left in the holiday period.
“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.”
With the holiday period continuing through Feb. 5, China’s theatrical market is expected to sustain strong momentum, reinforcing hopes of the box office’s full recovery from the downturns of 2024.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
