"Nezha 2," the latest Chinese animated blockbuster, has grossed over 11.3 billion yuan (about 1.56 billion U.S. dollars) at the box office, with fans flocking to premium theaters for repeat viewings.
"It truly breaks the stereotype that 'Chinese animation is only for domestic audiences.' With world-class production quality and a profound cultural depth, it showcases the unique charm of Chinese stories to audiences worldwide," said Hu Xianfeng, a movie fan from Chongqing.
Audiences have been lining up for IMAX, 4D, and Dolby Cinema screenings in pursuit of a truly immersive experience. At the China Film Museum in Beijing, home to the city's largest IMAX screen, tickets have been selling out fast.
"It was quite difficult to get these tickets. We specifically tried to grab IMAX tickets for this screening. This is our second time watching 'Ne Zha 2.' The sound here is better than in the previous theater, and the larger screen offers higher resolution," said a fan eager for the ultimate viewing experience.
The demand for premium screenings is reminiscent of the 2009 "Avatar" craze.
Zhou Xin, a projectionist at the China Film Museum with 20 years of experience, noted that the IMAX GT theater, which has 340 seats, is now running five shows a day instead of the usual three, as audiences seek the ultimate cinematic experience driven by advanced projection and audio technology.
"The IMAX GT 4K digital projector has an aspect ratio of 1.43:1, which is 40 percent larger than that of standard theaters, allowing audiences to see more of the picture. It is also equipped with a 12.1-channel surround sound system, providing a more immersive and detailed audio experience for the audience," said Zhou.
Beyond IMAX, 4D and Dolby Cinema screenings have also sold out, highlighting the film's widespread appeal.
"Ne Zha 2" and its predecessor, the 2019 blockbuster "Ne Zha," were both inspired by the classic 16th-century novel "The Investiture of the Gods."
"Ne Zha 2" draws fans back for repeat viewings
China's development has never been a "threat" to anyone but the source of growth advancing common development of all countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday.
Some Western media and think tanks are peddling so-called "China Shock 2.0," saying that "China is achieving fast development in high-tech sectors such as renewable energy and AI and relies on foreign markets to absorb its overcapacity, thus reducing the market share of developed countries and sending more serious shock waves to the global economy compared with the era of traditional manufacture industry," while there are foreign commentators saying that the "China Shock 2.0" argument ignores the genuine innovation occurring within the Chinese industrial ecosystem and that Chinese export is the exact booster of the global economy that is needed in the turbulent period and more indispensable than ever.
Commenting on that, Lin said: "From the world's factory to the world's market and innovation powerhouse, China's development is achieved through strong performance driven by innovation and brings tangible cooperation opportunities and space to the world. High-quality Chinese products represented by the 'old three' of textiles, furniture and home appliances have stabilized the global industrial and supply chain, lowered the living cost of global consumers and eased the inflationary pressure worldwide. China's green production capacity represented by the 'new three' of electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels has bridged the gap between supply and demand in global green development and bolstered the global energy transition and low-carbon development. Moreover, China's high-tech products represented by the 'new new three' of robots, AI and innovative drugs have broken high-tech barriers and monopoly and enabled people in more countries to access affordable new technologies," said the spokesman.
"Openness and cooperation bring about progress and win-win result. China's development has never been a 'threat' to anyone but the source of growth advancing common development of all countries. What really creates 'shocks' to the world has never been the innovation of Chinese companies and efficiency of Chinese industrial capacity, but protectionist moves of setting up barriers, decoupling and severing industrial and supply chains. China will stay committed to high-standard opening up, defend the multilateral trading system and provide more certainty and new impetus to the world economy with its own steady development," said Lin.
China's development never a threat: FM spokesman
