Australia's major cinema chain Hoyts has increased screenings of "Ne Zha 2", China's highest grossing animated film so far, by 22 percent starting Tuesday, to meet the growing audience demand.
Since its release in Australia in February, the animated film, a sequel to the 2019 hit featuring a mythical boy with magical powers and exceptional martial arts skills, has been enjoying strong box office success. It continued to dominate the box office on Monday at Hoyts, Australia's second-largest cinema chain, surpassing popular films such as Captain America: Civil War and securing the top spot.
Local audiences have embraced the sequel, praising its humor, animation quality, and storytelling.
"I really like the first version of it, and the second was great as well. It's a lot funnier, [with] a lot more comedy. The animation, the detail is a lot more impressive than you'd normally see," said Tom, a local audience member.
Chris, another local viewer, appreciated the film's adaptation of historical legends into a modern context.
"I like that there is like [a] historical context. So [it's] like proper legends and [that are] then turned into a modern context. That's really nice. I like how it's like sort of good and bad characters that take control over their own fate and work together. That's really nice too," he said.
Alex Hadlow, a location manager at Hoyts Cinemas, acknowledged the growing influence of Chinese films in the Australian market.
"I think we can't overlook the power of the film industry from China and how the growing popularity for the films from China. Personally, I enjoy a lot of Chinese films. So, I'm excited for what the future holds," he said.
"Ne Zha 2" has become the first non-Hollywood film to exceed 2 billion U.S. dollars in global earnings, including presales, according to data from Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan.
Chinese animated blockbuster sees rising popularity in Australia
Israel's intensified military operations in the Gaza Strip on Friday killed over 100 people and forced many already displaced residents to flee again amid heavy bombardment.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said late on Friday that they had "launched extensive attacks and mobilized forces to seize strategic areas in the Gaza Strip".
According to the IDF, the intensified assault marked the start of a new operation codenamed "Gideon's Chariots," which aims to expand the scope of fighting and advance key war objectives, including the release of hostages and the dismantling of Hamas.
"IDF troops will continue to operate in order to protect Israeli civilians and achieve the objectives of the war," the military said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces would enter Gaza "with full force" in the coming days as part of efforts to defeat Hamas.
Health officials in Gaza said at least 109 people were killed and 216 wounded in the northern part of the territory.
"It was a bloody night in the northern Gaza Strip. The occupation bombed several residential homes directly and without prior warning. The attacks left dozens dead. More than 50 bodies were recovered and transferred to Al-Awda and Indonesian hospitals in northern Gaza. Dozens of civilians remain trapped under the rubble of their homes," said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense.
Salah Al-Najjar, a displaced Palestinian from northern Gaza, recalled the moment the bombardment hit, saying his only hope now is to find a place to stay, even if it means sleeping on the street.
"The shelling was everywhere and in every direction. Our house was bombed and collapsed on us while we were inside. Now we are fleeing toward Gaza City to look for any place where we can set up a tent, even if it's in the street," Al-Najjar said.
"Since the beginning of the war, the bombings last night and today have been the most intense in two years. I was previously displaced to the south, and now I'm heading back to Gaza, only to return south again, as instructed by the Israeli army," said Yousef Al-Masry, another displaced Palestinian from northern Gaza.
The intensification followed Israel's resumption of military operations in Gaza on March 18, after a brief lull in the fighting. Since then, at least 2,985 Palestinians have been killed and 8,173 injured, bringing the total number of deaths since the conflict erupted in October 2023 to 53,119, with 120,214 wounded, according to Gaza's health authorities.
Expanded Israeli operations kill over hundred, displace more Gazans
