The global total earnings of Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2," including presales, reached a new high of 11.5 billion yuan (about 1.59 billion U.S. dollars) as of Sunday morning, according to box office tracker Dengta Data.
With the ongoing success of "Ne Zha 2", the popularity of the blockbuster's screenings at theaters continues to rise. Most of the audience members at the screenings are fans who are watching it for the second or even third time.
"The box office contribution of the IMAX version of 'Ne Zha 2' at our theater has currently reached over 44 percent. We've also increased the number of late-night screenings twice, and now our latest show ends at 23:30," said Zhao Xiaoqing, Cinema Department director of the China Film Museum.
"Ne Zha 2" continues to be a hit, and the film is set to be released in Hong Kong SAR soon.
Those who couldn't wait any longer to watch the film decided to visit neighboring Shenzhen City for an earlier viewing.
In a cinema hall in Shenzhen City, the electronic screen are displaying that all showtimes for "Ne Zha 2" have been sold out, with crowds of people waiting at the ticket check-in area. Among those queuing to watch the film, many are tourists from Hong Kong.
"I heard the box office is doing great, so I've particularly taken my kids with me here to watch it," said a Hong Kong tourist.
"My favorite is Ne Zha because he looks really cute, and my classmates all say it's pretty good," said a girl from Hong Kong.
"'Ne Zha 2' is the most popular films in recent years, continuing its huge success since the Chinese New Year holiday. It has attracted many Hong Kong visitors to Shenzhen to watch the film here. After its release, the proportion of Hong Kong viewers in our theater has been around 30 to 40 percent," said Liao Zeyi, manager of a cinema in Shenzhen.
The sequel continues the story of the iconic character Ne Zha, a rebellious boy-god from Chinese mythology. Set after the events of the first film, it follows Ne Zha and Ao Bing as their souls are saved but their physical forms face dissolution. With the help of the immortal Taiyi Zhenren (True Man of the Grand Unity), who uses the Seven-Colored Lotus to reconstruct their bodies, the two heroes must face numerous challenges.
The film's exploration of universal themes, such as defiance in the face of power, the struggle against fate, and embracing self-confidence, has struck a chord with the viewers.
Total earnings of animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" reach new high
Total earnings of animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2," including presales, reach new high
The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.
The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.
When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.
Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.
"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.
Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.
During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.
"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.
"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.
After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.
The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident
