'Ne Zha 2' tops global single-market box office list in film history

Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" made global history on Friday, becoming the highest-grossing movie in a single market, surpassing previous record-holder "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

According to Chinese ticketing platform Beacon, "Ne Zha 2," a sequel to the 2019 hit featuring a mythical boy with magical powers and exceptional martial arts skills, grossed 6.7922 billion yuan (about 932 million U.S. dollars) as of 21:00 Beijing Time on Friday. This figure surpasses the box office earnings of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," released in North America in 2015.

The impressive record-breaking streak of "Ne Zha 2" came just a day after it topped China's box office chart, overtaking the 2021 war epic "The Battle at Lake Changjin."

"Ne Zha 2" premiered in Chinese cinemas on January 29, alongside other films such as "Detective Chinatown 1900" and "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force." Together, these films helped China's Spring Festival box office revenue reach a historic milestone of 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars).

The animated feature combines breathtaking animation with a rich narrative rooted in traditional folklore, taking audiences on an emotional journey that blends action, humor, and heart. It has attracted large numbers of young families, making it a film that resonates with all age groups.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 20 pips to 7.0108 against the U.S. dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.