Photo:CCTV

Chinese animated film Ne Zha2has topped China's box office chart after overtaking the previous record holder 2021 war epic "TheMK sports Battle at Lake Changjin" on Thursday. 

As of press time, the film has grossed  more than 6 billion yuan ($820 million), and has a big potential to make a global history by becoming the highest grosser in a single market, a data analyst with the Chinese major ticketing platform Maoyan predicted.

The animated fantasy adventure sequel has taken movie viewers by storm since Spring Festival, leading the lucrative film period, and has made a global history to secure the highest animated grosser in a single market, Chinese data analyst Chen Jin from ticketing platform Beacon told the Global Times on Thursday, adding that the film might gross 9.5 billion yuan ($1.3 billion). 

US entertainment industry platform Deadline previously reported that if the film crosses $1 billion, it would surpass Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens'$936.7 million North American haul and would be the first time a film has reached that benchmark in a single market.

"Ne Zha2can be seen as a 'miracle' for its consistent increase of box office over the first five opening days," film critic Zhou Liming, who has served as a juror at the Montreal Film Festival, told the Global Times on Thursday.

American entertainment business news site Variety had previously reported that "Ne Zha2also seems set to cross the Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2$653 million record of the highest animated grosser in a single market," and now it has come true. 

A poster of Ne Zha 2 is on display outside a cinema in Beijing on February 6, 2025. The blockbuster movie has officially surpassed the 2021 war epic "The Battle at Lake Changjin" to become the highest-grossing film of all time in China. Photo: VCG

The film is also the fastest IMAX release to surpass 100 million yuan in China, according to Variety.

"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, according to Variety.

Indian media Pinkvilla reported that the film's exceptional earnings are not only setting new records but also solidifying China's position as a powerhouse in the animated cinema space, which is often dominated by Western studios like Disney and Paramount.

According to the Los Angeles-based entertainment magazine The Hollywood Reporter, China's film market is recovering with the box office for the first five days of this year's Spring Festival period surging by 27.3 percent compared to the same period last year. Among them, Ne Zha2is "powering the huge numbers."

A Reuters report on Thursday called Ne Zha2an "encouraging performance", and wrote in a previous report that the robust development of China's box office during the Spring Festival period is marking a bright showing to spur domestic consumption.

In response to a question regarding foreign media comments that the prosperity of Chinese New Year film market indicates a recovery in consumer spending and is encouraging, Chinese FM spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that the box office boom during the Spring Festival reflects the vibrancy of China's consumption market and displays the strong endogenous driving force and broad prospect of China's economy. In the meantime, Chinese movies screened abroad have also become a bridge for exchanges and a window into China for the world.


Leading the way
 
Blockbuster films which topped the Chinese box office charts, including Wolf Warrior 2, Hi, Mom, and Detective Chinatown 3, have released posters to congratulate Ne Zha2's success.

The production team of the Ne Zha2on Thursday also posted a family picture to commemorate the moment, and left heartfelt thank-you note to all and vowed to stay humble in future endeavors. 

"As it stands now, the top-ranking films in China's box office history cover a wide range of genres. This not only showcases the rich diversity of China's film market but also reflects its health and vitality," Zhou said.

Film insiders explained that on one hand, Ne Zha2is doing well in every aspect of its production. On the other hand, while other Spring Festival season films have their own strengths, they also all have their flaws.

"For sequels or films based on well-known IPs, the audience naturally have higher expectations," Shi Wenxue, a film industry expert and veteran culture critic, told the Global Times. 

However, certain films released during the Spring Festival did not achieve the expected results, mainly due to unideal storytelling, as pointed out by Zhang Peng, a film researcher and associate professor at Nanjing Normal University.

He noted that one notable success was Detective Chinatown 1900, which secured the second spot in the Spring Festival box office. The film's appeal lies in its unique blend of comedy and historical backdrop -- the anti-Chinese immigration wave in early 20th-century America. Using comedy and mystery as its shell, the film centered on themes of patriotism and family bonds, resonating deeply with audiences.

Ne Zha2, however, took things to another level with its seamless integration of traditional Eastern aesthetics and modern animation techniques. 

Wang Jing, the executive producer of Ne Zha2, told the Global Times in a previous interview that after a five-year preparation period, the film offers a visual feast to the moviegoers with over 2,400 shots, including over 1,900 special effects shots.

Zhou said that the efforts made by the production team have been clearly validated by the audience's enthusiastic response.

"The main reason for the success of Ne Zha2is that the film appeals to audiences of all ages. In this animated movie, one can find elements from various genres such as comedy, martial arts, suspense, and war. This wide range of elements caters to the diverse needs of different viewers," he said.

Innovation was another key element that enabled the movie to achieve such a big success. "Ne Zha" itself is a very familiar story, however, this series themed with the classic IP is telling a new story that is closely connected with our society, allowing the audience to identify with its themes, said Zhou.

Zhang also shared that the film's innovative storytelling breaks through the constraints of sequel creation. It maintains the core spirit of the original IP while transcending traditional mythological adaptation models, transitioning from an individual hero's journey to the epic portrayal of a pantheon of gods.

He told the Global Times that Ne Zha2effectively reconstructs cultural values by capturing the essence of contemporary culture. It transforms the rebellious spirit of "I am the master of my own fate" into a theme of generational reconciliation and growth, achieving a creative balance between traditional filial piety and modern individualism that resonates across different age groups.

"The Chinese animation industry, represented by Ne Zha2, has gone beyond merely imitating excellent animated works from other countries. We have transcended imitation and internalized these influences into something uniquely our own. I believe its success will also inspire peers around the world to create even better works," Zhang said.

Yang Yu, better known as Jiaozi, who directed the Ne Zhaseries, told the Global Times on January 8 that looking back at Ne Zha, it felt "very tough" at the time, but now those difficulties are no longer issues.

"The increasing number of industry talents will definitely have a promoting effect on the industry," he said.