China's New Year holiday box office surpasses 730 mln yuan

China

China's New Year holiday box office surpasses 730 mln yuan

2026-01-04 17:11 Last Updated At：20:47

China's New Year holiday box office surpassed 730 million yuan as of 20:00 on Saturday, highlighting robust demand across the nation’s cinemas.

The cinematic lineup during the 2026 New Year holiday featured a robust mix of new releases and holdovers from the 2025 year-end season. Catering to a wide range of audience tastes, the market was led by Disney's blockbuster "Zootopia 2," the sci-fi epic "Avatar 3", and the domestic suspense thriller "The Fire Raven," which rounded out the top three films of the period.

Domestic productions stood out for their focus on realism and emotional resonance.

"The Fire Raven," a suspense thriller centered on the survival dilemmas of ordinary people, drew widespread attention, while "Escape From The Outland" explored themes of peace and respect for life through a realistic narrative.

Meanwhile, "Back to the Past" tapped into nostalgia to revive youthful memories, and the warm-hearted comedy "Unexpected Family," which portrays the bond between elderly people with Alzheimer's disease and a temporary family, became a popular choice for family audiences.

Additionally, moviegoers expressed varied preferences driving their holiday choices.

"I loved 'Zootopia 2' so much that I wanted to watch it again," shared one moviegoer.

"I look for films that are more creative and have their own unique style, not just follow formulaic storytelling," said another moviergoer.

The robust holiday performance underscores the vitality and expanding global role of China's film industry.

"China's high-quality and high-level opening-up is profoundly reflected in the film sector. In terms of industrial impact, box office contribution, and commercial scale, China's contribution to the global film landscape is becoming increasingly substantial," said Sun Jiashan, a researcher at the Chinese Culture Studies Department of the Central Institute of Socialism.

Protesters gather outside court to urge US to free Maduro

Demonstrators gathered outside a New York federal court on Monday, protesting against the U.S. seizure and criminal indictment of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Protesters held Venezuelan flags and placards, and called for the release of Maduro.

The Venezuelan president made his first court appearance Monday morning in New York after he was captured by U.S. forces in Venezuela on Saturday, along with his wife Cilia Flores.

Maduro pleaded not guilty to all U.S. charges during his first court appearance in New York.

"I am innocent, I am not guilty," Maduro told the court, adding that he was seized at his home in Caracas and that he remains the president of Venezuela, according to media inside the courtroom.

Cilia Flores said at court that she is completely innocent of the charges brought against her by the United States, according to media reports.

The next hearing on the case against Maduro is scheduled for March 17.

In the early hours of Saturday, U.S. military forces carried out attacks and bombings in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela and took Maduro and his wife by force, before putting them in custody in New York.