China’s box office remained firmly in the grip of “Ne Zha 2,” which continued its extraordinary run, grossing RMB 1.1 billion ($152.9 million) over the February 21st–23rd weekend, according to Artisan Gateway.
The Enlight Pictures/Cococartoon release has now amassed $1.89 billion in the Middle Kingdom since its debut on Jan. 29, further cementing its place as the most successful film in Chinese box office history.
“Ne Zha 2” is also rewriting Imax records. The film added $15.2 million in Imax earnings over the weekend, bringing its global Imax cume to $131 million in just 26 days. It is now the ninth highest-grossing Imax release of all time and the highest-grossing animated Imax film ever, surpassing “The Polar Express” by 69%, a record that stood for over two decades. Imax’s Lunar New Year slate has now reached $150 million, with “Ne Zha 2” accounting for the overwhelming majority.
In second place, As One Production’s “Detective Chinatown 1900” added $11.7 million, bringing its cumulative total to $464.7 million. The latest entry in the hit mystery-comedy series continues to show resilience, though “Ne Zha 2’s” dominance has left little room for challengers.
Fantawild Animation’s “Boonie Bears 11″ ranked third, earning $3.3 million for a total of $106.1 million. The long-running animated franchise continues to deliver steady numbers with family audiences.
Japanese anime “Your Color”, distributed by Story (JP), debuted in fourth place with $1.8 million.
Rounding out the top five, Beijing Culture’s “Creation of the Gods 2” earned $1.6 million, bringing its cumulative total to $164.3 million. The historical fantasy epic has seen its momentum slow significantly but remains one of the stronger Lunar New Year holdovers.
The weekend’s total box office came in at $178.1 million, bringing China’s 2025 box office total to $3.06 billion, a 74.4% increase from the same period last year.
With “Ne Zha 2” continuing to surpass expectations, China’s box office is on track for one of its strongest first quarters in years, fueled by both local juggernauts and a growing Imax footprint.
From Variety US