‘Ne Zha 2’ Torches Box Office Records, Becomes Highest-Grossing Chinese Film Ever
“Ne Zha 2” has ascended to the pinnacle of the Chinese box office, becoming the highest-grossing film in the country’s history. The animated feature has amassed over RMB6.6 billion yuan ($905 million), per numbers from per ticketing and data firm Maoyan.
The film has easily surpassed the previous record held by the 2021 war epic “The Battle at Lake Changjin,” which earned $802 million, and sped past previous holders “Wolf Warriors 2” (2017, $791 million) and 2021’s “Hi, Mom” that collected $752 million.
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Released on Jan. 29, to coincide with the Lunar New Year festivities, “Ne Zha 2” captivated audiences nationwide, contributing significantly to the holiday’s record-breaking box office total of $1.3 billion, an 18.8% increase from the previous year.
“Ne Zha 2” is showing no signs of slowing down post-Lunar New Year, with the animated juggernaut on track to hit a staggering $1.37 billion, per Maoyan. That milestone would make it the first film to crack the $1 billion mark in a single market.
The record run also puts “Ne Zha 2” in position to topple the $936.7 million haul of “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” in North America, setting the stage for it to become the biggest single-market box office champion of all time.
Directed by Jiaozi (Yu Yang), and produced by Enlight Pictures, “Ne Zha 2” continues the saga of the mythical boy with extraordinary powers, a narrative that first enchanted viewers in the 2019 original. The sequel’s success underscores the growing prowess of China’s animation industry and its ability to produce content that resonates deeply with both domestic and potentially international audiences.
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