‘Ne Zha 2’ Smashes Records, Becomes Highest-Grossing Movie In a Single Market, Surpassing ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’!

The Chinese animated movie ‘Ne Zha 2’ has made history, earning over 7 billion RMB (around $960.5 million) in China alone. This makes it the highest-grossing film ever in a single market, beating the previous record set by ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ which earned $936.7 million in North America. ‘Ne Zha 2’ has been a huge success since its release during the Lunar New Year period (January 28 – February 4) and continues to set new records.

The film broke the record for the biggest box office during the holiday season in China’s history. Just this past Thursday, it passed ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’ to become China’s all-time highest-grossing movie.

As of now, ‘Ne Zha 2’ is still going strong, and experts predict it will soon reach 1 billion dollars in China, making it the first film to achieve this in a single market. Some forecasts are even predicting that the movie could make as much as 10.8 billion RMB ($1.48 billion) by the end of its run. As of today, it has already earned 7.06 billion RMB ($968.8 million).

Directed by Yang Yu (also known as Jiaozi), ‘Ne Zha 2’ is a sequel to the 2019 film. It is loosely based on a famous Chinese myth and continues the story of the young hero, Ne Zha, who has magical powers. In the movie, Ne Zha and his friend Aobing are trying to save themselves from a dangerous crisis that could destroy humanity. Along the way, they fight sea monsters and face many challenges, with the help of the immortal Taiyi Zhenren who helps them rebuild their bodies.

The beginning of 2025 has shown a strong start for China’s film industry, especially after a tough 2024, when box office sales dropped by 25%. The Lunar New Year period alone saw a record 9.51 billion RMB ($1.3 billion) in box office revenue, surpassing the previous record of 8.02 billion RMB. This success was helped by a government initiative that offered moviegoers discounts and subsidies, boosting ticket sales throughout the country.

While local films like ‘Ne Zha 2’ are doing exceptionally well, there is still some uncertainty about how Hollywood movies will perform in China in the future. Chinese audiences are showing a growing preference for homegrown films, which could impact how well foreign movies do in the market.

However, there’s hope that as more people return to cinemas, Hollywood films could also see a boost. The true picture will become clearer later in 2025, especially when major films like ‘Zootopia 2’ and ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash’ are released.

In the meantime, ‘Ne Zha 2’ continues to make waves, both in China and around the world, setting new standards for box office success in the industry.

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