Disney animation "Zootopia 2" has taken the Chinese box office by storm, setting multiple opening records since its Wednesday debut.
It raked in a staggering 230 million yuan (32.5 million U.S. dollar) on its opening day in China, achieving the highest single-day gross ever for an imported animated film in the Chinese market.
As of Saturday, the movie had grossed over 1.3 billion yuan in total within four days of its release.
It became only the fourth animated feature to surpass the 200-million-yuan milestone in a single day, following domestic blockbusters "Ne Zha 2," "Legend of Deification," and "Boonie Bears: Time Twist."
As the second movie of the "Zootopia" franchise, the movie also demonstrated exceptional pre-sale performance, grossing 333 million yuan from advance ticket sales and first round previews, setting a new all-time presale record for any animated feature in China.
Boosted by its performance, China's national box office in November also reached a six-year high.
Notably, "Zootopia 2" opened on a Wednesday, a regular workday, unlike most record-breaking films that typically debut on weekends or during national holidays.
"I watched 'Zootopia' and really loved it. Since the whole story is perfect for kids, I take my son to watch the Mandarin version of 'Zootopia 2' today," said a Beijing resident on Wednesday.
"I was in middle school when the first animated film of the franchise came out. I really loved it back then. Now that the sequel is finally here, I rushed to see it. It is fantastic! I saw many improvements compared with the first one," said a young fan of the movie.
"The sequel incorporates many elements of reptiles, making the animal settings more diverse," said a movie-goer.
One cinema in Beijing has made the premiere day a carnival for Zootopia fans by inviting cosplayers to dress as popular movie characters.
"I loved Judy Hopps when I was watching 'Zootopia'. So I bought this costume one month ahead of today's premiere," said a girl dressed as the main protagonist.
"I love the soundtrack of the movie. I watched the first one, and I was really looking forward to the second film," said another girl dressed as movie character Gazelle. Collaboration with local artists is believed to have further fueled the movie's popularity.
As 'Party Animal', a song by renowned Chinese band Mayday, was chosen as the Mandarin theme song for the movie, the band's hardcore fans organized an exclusive screen event at a cinema in Beijing.
"'Zootopia 2' is currently a huge hit, performing exceptionally well during its pre-sale period. Starting today, we will allocate 50-60 percent of our screenings to this film. We're also catering to diverse viewing preferences by offering multiple versions. Since the theme song is performed by the band Mayday, fans have shown tremendous enthusiasm," said cinema marketing manager Cen Junlan.
"We expect 1,500 Mayday fans to attend this 'Zootopia 2' screening event. We have decorated the cinema with many Mayday elements to give the fans a better experience and allow them to enjoy the event with enthusiasm and joy," said a Mayday fan.
Disney film "Zootopia 2" takes Chinese box office by storm
