Chinese box office hit "Ne Zha 2" premieres in Philippines

China

Chinese box office hit "Ne Zha 2" premieres in Philippines

2025-03-10 16:51 Last Updated At：23:47

China's blockbuster hit "Ne Zha 2" premiered overseas on Sunday in the Philippines, captivating audiences with its creative choreography and compelling storyline.

The Quezon City premiere, held in the heart of Metro Manila, welcomed guests to enjoy the film and made tickets available for purchase, ahead of its nationwide release in the Philippines on March 12.

Karen Zabaljauregui, Senior Assistant Vice President at SM Cinema, reported strong pre-sale box office performance, ranking second across the group's cinemas, and expressed confidence in the film's popularity upon release.

"The humor in the movie, and a lot of references to the family, and we see a lot of relatable bits and pieces of the story. So it's not going to be a problem. There will be word of mouth that will be spreading once the movie starts screening," said Zabaljauregui.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian expressed his hope during a speech that the release of "Ne Zha 2" in the Philippines and other Asian countries would allow audiences to appreciate the allure of Chinese culture.

"Through today's screening, I hope that we will not only appreciate the splendor of Chinese culture, but also draw strength from this film. The courage to forge ahead despite difficulties and the determination to break through constraints and pioneered new frontiers," said Huang.

Nearly 400 people attended the opening premiere, with the audience enjoying the film across two screening rooms. The movie's production quality and its rich Chinese cultural themes have received praise from Filipino viewers.

"This is the first time I have seen this kind of animation, very detailed. And I think that even the smallest aspect of it is really, really good, actually," said Ica lansang, a local moviegoer.

"I feel happy, emotional and action part is very thrilling. This story is very captivating. I love Nezha's character, his character development from the first movie up until now, the character development is very, very good," said Sarah Nesperos, another moviegoer.

"I actually watched the first "Nezha" movie and followed its story very well. I'm also familiar with the Chinese mythology behind it. So, watching "Ne Zha 2" definitely showed me a bigger lore about Chinese mythology. I learned some things and definitely saw how amazing the animation style that China has been doing. So, a huge kudos to that. And I hope you guys really watch this in the cinemas," said Claude Ang, a moviegoer.

"Ne Zha 2" was released on January 29, during the 2025 Chinese New Year festival holiday. It entered the list of top 10 highest-grossing films of all time globally on February 17, the 20th day after its release.

It has become the first film to gross over 1 billion U.S. dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood film to enter the coveted billion-dollar club. It also dethroned Disney's 2024 picture Inside Out 2 to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time globally.

"Ne Zha 2" is a sequel to the 2019 animated box office hit "Ne Zha". Inspired by a Chinese mythological figure with the same name, the film has captivated audiences with its vivid storytelling and jaw-dropping visuals while featuring themes of defiance, fate, and self-confidence, which resonate universally.

Int'l experts criticize Japanese PM's wrongful remarks for damaging int'l order

An Algerian expert and a Uruguayan official criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for her wrongful remarks that exposed Japan's ambitions for military expansion, which is endangering regional and international order.

At a Diet meeting in early November, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese central authorities' "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which drew strong criticism worldwide.

Smail Debeche, president of Algeria-China Friendship Association, said Japan should end its attempts to expand military power as it did during World War II.

"I think the wrongful remarks made by the Japanese side are not in the interests of Japan itself and the Japanese people. It is irrational and illogical to make such statements. After World War II, Japan should have shouldered its corresponding responsibilities and obligations. However, instead of deeply deploring its war past and earnestly apologizing, Japan seems to be trying to expand its military power in the region and display arrogance, much like in the wartime era. This practice must be stopped," said Debeche.

Leonardo Batalla, who is responsible for international relations at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, said he firmly opposes the interference in China's internal affairs. "Japan's remarks are a provocative act. Japan is a defeated country in World War II. Now, its right-wing forces are attempting to revive the ambitions of the militarist era. Such an approach is detrimental to international relations because it interferes in China's internal affairs," said Batalla.