Film merchandise sales boom signals growing confidence in Chinese cinema

With just a month to go before the Chinese New Year, China's film market is rapidly heating up. Before a movie is released, many fans are already visiting filming locations and purchasing merchandise based on the film's IP. The expanding influence of cinema is increasingly reshaping everyday consumption habits.

In recent years, it has become common for film-related merchandise to go on sale well before the official release.

During last year's Spring Festival season, the domestic animated film Ne Zha 2 quickly became a box office phenomenon.

Official blind-box products were launched almost simultaneously with the film and sold out soon after. On social media, many consumers said they managed to secure pre-orders, but delivery times were pushed back by as much as 6 months.

Since then, the launch timelines for merchandise linked to popular animated films have continued to move forward.

For some productions, weeks or even months before their debut, themed plush toys and keychains are already appearing in shopping malls and retail stores. Viewers can now take home character-themed products even before stepping into a cinema.

As consumption timelines move forward, the reach of film-driven spending is also expanding.

Before this year's Spring Festival film season officially begins, tourism data have already revealed noticeable changes. Following the announcement of release dates for films such as Pegasus 3 and Blades of the Guardians, which were filmed in deserts, destinations connected to their stories saw a clear rise in interest ahead of the premieres.

Data shows that by mid-January, hotel bookings in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, one of the filming locations for the Pegasus series, surged by 147 percent year on year for the 2026 Spring Festival holiday. Searches for travel products related to "desert sightseeing" and "desert highways" increased by around 60 percent.

"The way films drive tourism is shifting from post-release visits to a pre-release desire for travel. This is a new phenomenon emerging during this year's upcoming Spring Festival season. Audiences are planning trips in advance based on their expectations of the story and visuals," said Shi Ke, researcher at Qunar Big Data Research Institute.

An industry observer noted that early consumption reflects growing confidence in the film industry.

"There is very strong confidence across audiences, markets, producers, and consumers alike in the future of Chinese films. Culture is being used as an engine to leverage the industrial chain and form a complete cultural ecosystem," said Lang Jinsong, Deputy Director from China Communication University IP Cross-Border Communication Research Center.

Film merchandise sales boom signals growing confidence in Chinese cinema

Hong Kong's first astronaut lifted off into space on Sunday, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for space exploration in the special administrative region, while inspiring a new generation to look to the stars.

The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 23:08 (Beijing Time) on Sunday. The crew members include Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut and payload specialist from Hong Kong to join a national space mission, whose achievements have motivated many Hong Kong residents.

"I feel so happy and thrilled. This is the first time a Hong Kong astronaut has gone to space, and to see a true Hong Konger, who is also a mother of three, just really touches my heart," said Chow, a local resident.

The successful spaceflight of Lai has especially captivated the younger generation to dream bigger about the future.

"I want to be an astronaut, because I want to discover more things about space," said a young student surnamed Chow.

"I have seen things related to spaceflights of astronauts. I hope when I grow up, I could receive training and go to space myself," said another student surnamed Koo.

To meet public expectations, the Hong Kong Space Museum has updated its space-themed exhibition with the latest development of the Shenzhou-23 mission, extending the display until July 6. Parents are seizing the moment to enrich their children's knowledge.

"At his age, I want him to be exposed to a wide range of information. With all the recent astronaut news, I brought him here specially to see for himself. We will also check out a film about space knowledge at the planetarium. I hope he can get more out of this from an early age," said Cheung, a father.

"We just watched the Shenzhou-23 launch at home with my son last night, and decided to take him to the Space Museum," a mother surnamed Chun shared.

"I saw on TV that so many people were cheering for the launch. When the rocket was launched, fire burst out from its body. I was really happy they succeeded," said Chun's son.

Hong Kong's first astronaut ignites citywide enthusiasm over space exploration