China's animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 has shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film ever in a single market. The sequel has amassed RMB 7 billion ($960.5 million) in China, surpassing Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which previously held the record with $936.7 million in North America.
The film, which debuted during the Lunar New Year holiday on January 29, has enjoyed an unprecedented run at the Chinese box office. It has already overtaken The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021), which held the previous title of China's biggest film with $802 million. Industry analysts expect Ne Zha 2 to break the $1 billion mark in China alone, making it the first film in history to reach that milestone in a single market. Ticketing platform Maoyan has raised its forecast, predicting a final haul of RMB 10.8 billion ($1.48 billion).
Directed by Yang Yu, also known as Jiaozi, Ne Zha 2 continues the story of the mythological boy with supernatural abilities. Following the events of the 2019 original, the sequel follows Ne Zha and his friend Aobing as they attempt to restore their physical forms, facing existential threats and mythical sea creatures along the way.
The film's performance has been buoyed by strong audience demand during the Spring Festival holiday, which saw China's total box office revenue reach RMB 9.51 billion ($1.3 billion), setting a new holiday record. This represents an 18.8% increase from the previous year's earnings of RMB 8.02 billion.
The China Film Administration's nationwide promotional initiative, launched in December 2024, has contributed to the surge in cinema attendance. The program, which provides government-backed subsidies for moviegoers, has helped revitalize China's theatrical market after a 25% box office downturn in 2024.
The film's dominance underscores the shift in Chinese audience preferences toward domestically produced content. While Hollywood films once dominated the Chinese market, local productions such as Ne Zha 2 have increasingly captured the majority of box office revenues. The extent to which this trend affects international releases will become clearer in the latter half of 2025, with the performance of major Hollywood titles like Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire & Ash serving as key indicators.
The success of Ne Zha 2 highlights the growing strength of China's animation industry. Produced by Enlight Pictures, the film demonstrates the ability of Chinese studios to create high-quality content that resonates with audiences on a large scale. As Ne Zha 2 prepares for its North American release through CMC Pictures on February 14, industry experts will be watching closely to see if the film can replicate its domestic success overseas.
With the film showing no signs of slowing down, Ne Zha 2 is poised to cement its place as the highest-grossing film in a single market and further solidify China's influence in the global film industry.
