Ne Zha 2 box office breaks 2 bln US dollars, first in Asia

The total box office revenue of the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2," including presales, surpassed 2 billion U.S. dollars as of Monday afternoon, according to box office tracker Maoyan Data, making it the first Asian film to reach this milestone.

With its record-breaking success, it is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time globally and the seventh highest-grossing film ever. As the movie's box office revenue continues to surge, "Ne Zha 2" is expected to surpass "Avengers: Infinity War" (which grossed about 2.05 billion U.S. dollars) to claim the sixth spot.

In addition, in Hong Kong and Macao, the total box office of the animated film, which debuted in local cinemas on February 22, has surpassed 32 million Hong Kong dollars (about 4.1 million U.S. dollars) as of Sunday, setting a new record for the highest-grossing Chinese mainland film in the regions.

As of March 2, "Ne Zha 2" was still being screened in over 800 showings across Hong Kong and Macao, with more than 600 screenings scheduled for March 3 and 4.

The film's popularity has sparked a "Ne Zha fever" in Hong Kong, with local businesses embracing the trend. Restaurants have introduced themed meal sets, while many Hong Kong moviegoers are watching the film multiple times and sharing their appreciation on social media, calling it an "energy booster."

To echo its popularity, Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) aired Ne Zha 1 during prime time on February 28, offering audiences both Mandarin and Cantonese dubbing options.

Infrared cameras have recently captured images of 71 wild animal species in the Lushui section of the Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The nature reserve staff got the finding when they were sorting through the footage captured by infrared cameras installed in the Lushui section.

Such images involve Nujiang golden monkeys, Assamese macaques, Ailurus fulgens, lady Amherst's pheasants and silver pheasants, according to the Lushui management and conservation branch of the nature reserve.

The collected surveillance data in the Lushui section also recorded the activity trajectories of 33 beast species and 38 bird species, proving the rich biodiversity and the effectiveness of the protection of Gaoligong Mountains, which are known as the "World Species Gene Bank" and the "World Museum of Nature".