China's box office revenue this year has exceeded 50 billion yuan (about 7.08 billion U.S. dollars) as of 14:30 on Saturday, with cumulative attendance reaching nearly 1.2 billion, representing a significant recovery from a year ago.
China's New Year movie season has delivered a strong performance. Blockbusters, such as "Zootopia 2," "Avatar 3," and the Chinese war film "Gezhi Town," have all posted impressive results.
Leading the box office, "Zootopia 2" has grossed more than 3 billion yuan (about 425.23 million U.S. dollars) in China, surpassing its North American earnings and making China the film's top-grossing market worldwide. The success reflects the strong enthusiasm of Chinese audiences for cinema.
"I watch one to two movies every week. Cinemas create a unique space that's totally different from watching on a phone. It's like a spiritual sanctuary for me," said Yu Zhiyuan, a moviegoer.
"I think this year's New Year season is fantastic. From war films and family-friendly movies to restored classic re-releases, they still bring so much emotion to audiences today and truly touch people's hearts," said Liu Jiayuan, another moviegoer.
The re-release of classic films has also added cultural depth to the New Year season, from the 70-year-old suspense classic "Witness for the Prosecution" to "Seediq Bale," which portrays the resistance of the indigenous people of China's Taiwan region against Japanese fascism, and "Mountains May Depart," a story of ordinary Chinese lives in the 1990s.
The filmmakers behind these works have been delighted to see moviegoers returning to theaters to experience these films on the big screen.
"Movies are a record of the times, an archive of each era. Given China's massive market, the demand for diversification is becoming increasingly evident. So, even within the same so-called movie season, there are diverse needs among audiences, and that's why these films have achieved great results," said Jia Zhangke, director of "Mountains May Depart."
Domestic films account for over 80 percent of the huge market, reflecting a significant recovery from last year's total of 42 billion yuan (approximately 5.95 billion U.S. dollars).
"I believe filmmakers are thrilled with the market recovery this year. The 2025 market has seen substantial growth, which is a great encouragement for us. As long as there are good works, audiences will come to watch. As creators, we must continue to improve our artistic quality," said Jia.
Chinese mainland's film ticket sales in 2025 exceed 50 billion yuan
Chicago policymakers have introduced measures to increase housing supply, in a move that local activists and construction industry stakeholders have hailed as key to easing affordability pressures on residents.
According to the city's 2025 annual report on homelessness, Chicago is facing its largest gap in affordable and available housing in a decade, with the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count estimating that 7,452 people were experiencing homelessness, either in shelters or unsheltered locations, on January 23, 2025.
Steven Vance, a social worker in Chicago, said policies that previously curbed the city's housing supply have pushed up rent costs amid demographic changes.
"Households are declining in size, and that means we need more homes, and I thought it was strange that we would artificially restrict how many homes could get built in Chicago. Right now in Chicago, we have one of the highest rent growths, compared year to year in the country, and so now is a pivotal time to allow more housing," he said.
To address the challenge, Chicago has introduced zoning and land-use reforms, including the Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) Ordinance, aimed at increasing residential density and expanding housing supply.
The ordinance effectively expands housing access across the city by allowing ADUs in attics, basements, and accessory buildings, easing the rent burden and creating more budget-friendly housing options.
"In December 2020, City Council adopted an ordinance that would legalize ADUs in five pilot areas. (With ADU,) rents will maybe not always come down, but they will not climb as quickly as they are now if we have more housing options," he said.
The construction sector in the city has welcomed the policy change, with builders jumping on the opportunity to create new structures. For many in the industry, boosting housing supply is not just about doing business, but about addressing the issue of affordability as Chicago residents themselves.
"The housing market in Chicago has been impacted by the ADU program, to me, in a really big way. It's enabled a lot more rental projects to be constructed. I want there to be more housing in Chicago. I think there is a need for that, and I think there's also a need for responsible development that maintains the character of the neighborhood. Affordable housing to me is a really important issue, and to me, the biggest denominator in affordable housing is the lack of supply. The best route to affordable housing is to have an influx of housing," said Nick Serra, a construction professional.
Chicago expands housing supply to ease affordability pressure
