Chinese animated feature "Ne Zha 2" has continued its extraordinary box office run after becoming the country's highest-grossing movie, captivating audiences both at home and aboard as the cinematic sensation makes its mark on international screens.
Starring the iconic character Ne Zha from Chinese mythology, the film has quickly become a cultural phenomenon since its release on Jan 29, the first day of the Chinese New Year holiday.
Just over the past weekend, the Chinese blockbuster made its highly anticipated North American debut, with a full release scheduled for Feb 14 across the continent.
Even before its official screening, the film had sparked a frenzy in the United States. According to distributors, pre-sale tickets have been flying off the shelves, with theaters reporting occupancy rates exceeding 90 percent.
The excitement has also been palpable in Canada. On Feb 10, "Ne Zha 2" held its premiere in Toronto, where fans queued up eagerly outside to see the film. Inside, every seat was filled. Ticket sales for the official release in the Greater Toronto Area have been so strong that many screenings are already sold out.
"With a film like this making its way overseas, I believe the Chinese spirit and technology [it showcases] will surely captivate audiences here," said Luo Weidong, consul general of the Consulate General of China in Toronto.
As of Feb 11, the film had amassed over nine billion yuan (about 1.23 billion U.S. dollars) in box office revenue, securing its position as the highest-grossing Chinese movie of all time, showed data from online ticketing platform Maoyan. It also ranks the 27th on the global all-time box office chart, and the 6th among global animated films.
"Ne Zha 2" is forecast to earn over 14 billion yuan, likely outperforming Spider-Man: No Way Home to become the seventh highest-grossing film globally.
Domestically, "Ne Zha 2" has been hailed as a visual spectacle, drawing audiences back for multiple viewings.
"I came for my second watch today. The entire storyline and the effect really blew me away. The animation is so grand and powerful," said Sun Chengxi, a student from south China's Shenzhen City.
A sequel to the 2019 sensation "Ne Zha," "Ne Zha 2" has an unprecedented scale of production. The film features three times the number of characters as its predecessor and showcases over 1,900 special effects shots with more than 10,000 unique elements.
Blending traditional Chinese mythology with cyberpunk aesthetics, the film pushes the boundaries of animation technology while staying true to Chinese cultural roots. One highlight is the creation of awe-inspiring waterfall scenes.
"It incorporates approximately 1.93 billion particles. We not only aimed for grandeur, but also sought to add a rhythmic beauty to the effects, demonstrating the aesthetics of Eastern waterfalls," said Wang Weiwei, deputy general manager at Fantawild (Shenzhen) Film Company.
"Ne Zha 2" had also garnered 160 million viewers as of Feb 9, overtaking "Wolf Warrior 2" to claim the title of China's most-watched film.
"Ne Zha 2" smashes box office records as frenzy grips domestic, overseas cinemas
"Ne Zha 2" smashes box office records as frenzy grips domestic, overseas cinemas
"Ne Zha 2" smashes box office records as frenzy grips domestic, overseas cinemas
