China’s movie market booms ahead of Spring Festival

China's movie market is heating up as the Spring Festival approaches, with the 2025 ticket pre-sales breaking records and fueling expectations for a remarkable box office performance.

The Spring Festival, which marks the start of a new year on the Chinese lunar calendar, is the biggest annual holiday in China, when people across the country return to their hometowns for celebrations and family reunions. This year, the Chinese New Year's Day falls on Jan 29, ushering in a Year of the Snake.

The pre-sale box office for the Spring Festival film season had surpassed 200 million yuan (about 27 million U.S. dollars) by 09:16 on Monday since the pre-sale began on Sunday. It set a record for the pre-sale box office for the Spring Festival film season to reach 200 million yuan at a fastest-ever speed in the history of China's film industry.

By 16:50 on Tuesday, the pre-sale revenue had exceeded 300 million yuan (about 41 million U.S. dollars). This year's film lineup is notably more diverse than last year's, with genres spanning martial arts, mythology, animation, suspense and action.

Many blockbusters have maintained their base ticket prices from last year. With subsidies from local governments, filmmakers and ticket platforms under the guidance of the China Film Administration, ticket prices have become more affordable. Some theaters are offering multiple films for as low as 19.9 yuan (about 2.72 U.S. dollars) per view.

"From the ticket buyer structure, we observed that more than a quarter of the viewers on the first day of pre-sales were in groups of three or more. This represents a five percent increase from that of the corresponding day of last year, suggesting that this year's films are more appealing for family viewings," said Wang Shu, a film data analyst.

This year's Spring Festival films are entirely domestic productions, including several based on popular Chinese IPs, which come with an established fan base and strong reputations.

For example, "Nezha 2", the sequel with the highest pre-sale box office, is based on the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel "Fengshen Yanyi," or "The Investiture of the Gods," the same book that inspired "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force."

The sequel "Nezha 2", six years after the first film, highlights the filmmakers' dedication to storytelling, which is key to the ongoing growth of China's film industry.

"I'm looking forward to 'Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force', 'Nezha 2', and 'Detective Chinatown 1900'. It feels like a continuation. After watching the first movie, we are curious to see how the second one will unfold. With improved content and special effects, it's going to be a completely different experience," Pan Chao, a viewer.

Films with traditional Chinese elements are becoming increasingly popular, reflecting the audience's growing recognition of and confidence in traditional Chinese culture.

China-chic, also known as "Guochao", is a fashion trend featuring modern designs mixed with traditional cultural elements.

"The influence of China-chic on the movie market is significant, no matter whether they come to traditional Chinese culture or patriotism. When films carry China-chic significance, I believe more people will go to the cinema not just for the movies, but also for an experience and recognition of Chinese culture," said Wei Pengju, director of the Institute of cultural economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics.

Relying solely on traditional cultural elements to attract moviegoers is not enough. High-quality production is also crucial, supported by the rapid development of China's cultural industry.

At the China Movie Metropolis in Qingdao City of east China's Shandong Province, the filming location for "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force," advanced production techniques have enhanced the film's visual effects and action sequences, creating a spectacular viewing experience.

"The extensive application of such technologies as AI-generated content, or AIGC, have helped restructure a modern communication system, from pre-production and filming to post-production and viewing," said Hu Ruiyan, deputy director of the Film and Television Industry Development Center in the Qingdao West Coast New District.

In addition to production upgrades, cinema equipment and configurations have also been improved.

Last year, box offices in third- and fourth-tier cities accounted for 40 percent of the total revenue, with 4,658 new screens added to urban cinemas, bringing the total to over 90,000. Special-effect theaters grossed over 3 billion yuan (about 410 million U.S. dollars), contributing 7.2 percent of the total box office with only 2.7 percent of the screenings. The increase in screens and improved effects have further fueled consumer enthusiasm.

The box office during this year's Spring Festival is expected to exceed 8.5 billion yuan (about 1.2 billion U.S. dollars), potentially setting a new record.

In 2024, China's film industry entered a period of adjustment, with a slight decrease in the box office revenue. However, with the arrival of the holiday season and consumer-boosting activities, the market has shown signs of recovery.

In November last year, China's total box office reached 1.177 billion yuan (about 161 million U.S. dollars), marking an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase and signaling a return to growth after a slump lasting over six months. The ongoing pre-sale surge not only boosts revenue but also revitalizes various sectors of the film industry, from production companies and cinemas to equipment suppliers and merchandising.

"Although the ticket pre-sales set a new record by surpassing the threshold of 100 million yuan (about 14 million U.S. dollars), I think the true significance lies in the synergy between cultural development and economic growth. This synergistic effect will contribute to the stronger, more sustainable and competitive development of Chinese film industry," said Wei Pengju.

China’s movie market booms ahead of Spring Festival

China’s movie market booms ahead of Spring Festival

The Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 began preview screenings in London on Friday ahead of its official release in the country and Ireland on March 21, attracting excited crowds to watch the film in advance.

The film made its debut in the UK at London's BFI IMAX, home to the country's largest IMAX screen and is scheduled to screen in over 250 cinemas of 100 cities across the UK and Ireland during the first week of release.

The film's Europe-wide distributor, Trinity CineAsia, announced that it has acquired theatrical distribution rights for Ne Zha 2 across 37 countries in Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany. This scale of film release is exceptionally rare in the history of overseas distribution for Chinese-language films, reflecting the strong confidence of local cinemas in the movie's market potential.

"The fact that it is here and, you know, that we are getting a lot more influx of films from all across Asia from China, South Korea, Japan, South Asia as well. I think it's really good to kind of like widen the palate, because we all want to escape our little cinematic bubble and see what the rest of the world has to offer," said Jack Martin, a film reviewer, in an interview with the China Central Television (CCTV).

"Ne Zha 2" has shattered global box office records to become the No. 1 box office animated film of all times and also the first non-Hollywood production to crack the global all-time top 10 box office chart.

Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, the movie has attracted attention of global audiences with its stunning visuals, well-crafted storytelling, and deep cultural heritage.

"And I think all these elements show that Ne Zha 2 is both a film that's modern, but also has its roots in something very deep and very ancient," said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, in an interview with the CCTV.

Many audiences attending the preview screening in London have shared their thoughts about the movie in interviews with the CCTV.

"It was moving like heartwarming. Yes, I'll go home now and talk to it to all my friends," said a moviegoer.

"I thought that the humor of the film was really great, but it balances so perfectly with some of the more dramatic and heartfelt moments of it. And yeah, I really, really enjoyed it. And the language barrier was not a problem at all," said another moviegoer.

"We might not speak the same language, but at its heart is a very universal theme of friendship and just trying to do right in the world. And I think that a lot of people really resonate with that. I can see why it's done so well in China already," said Jack Martin.

James Smith, an social media influencer, shared his views about the movie in Chinese language during the interview. He thought the movie can serve as a bridge for foreigners to understand Chinese culture.

"I watched Ne Zha, the 2019 box office hit, in China. When I heard that its sequel was set to debut in the UK today, I rushed to the cinema to see it. It's definitely a great movie, filled with humor, touching moments, and encouragement. My friends often ask me how they can better understand China, because they think I know something about the country. I would say that you can watch the Ne Zha 2, as I believe it's a great film and through which you can learn something about Chinese culture," he said.

Ne Zha 2 begins preview screenings in London, captivating local audiences