China has overtaken North America to become the world's top-grossing film market so far in 2026, with box office revenue reaching 7 billion yuan (about 970 million U.S. dollars) as of Saturday, slightly above North America's 938 million U.S. dollars, according to online ticketing platforms.
The country's strong box office performance has largely been driven by its ongoing Spring Festival holiday, which began on Feb 15. So far, China's holiday ticketing revenue has exceeded 4.4 billion yuan, contributing over half of its total earnings this year.
During the nine-day holiday, a wide range of blockbuster films across different genres and themes premiered in theaters across China, providing the perfect backdrop for family reunions and festive fun.
Topping the Spring Festival sales chart was "Pegasus 3," the third installment in director Han Han's racing-comedy franchise starring Shen Teng, one of China's most bankable comedic actors. The film has amassed more than two billion yuan since its debut.
The first two films in the series were released during the 2019 and 2024 Spring Festival seasons, grossing a combined 5 billion yuan.
Spy thriller "Scare Out," directed by Zhang Yimou, ranked second on the chart with 701 million yuan in box office revenue. It was followed by the martial arts action film "Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert," which grossed 577 million yuan.
In east China's Jiangsu Province, holidaymakers said watching movies has become a popular way to enjoy family gatherings and social interactions during the Spring Festival.
"The Spring Festival is a bond that brings the whole family together. Taking advantage of this occasion, our family gets together to watch a movie, enjoying a warm and happy time," said Jiang Hong, a moviegoer.
"The cinemas are packed. Sitting in the screening room, surrounded by laughter, the atmosphere of everyone celebrating the festival together is truly wonderful. Plus, going to the movies is an activity that the whole family can do together. I think this is the essence of the Chinese New Year," said Ms. Ying, a local resident.
"When watching a movie, we all get together and immerse ourselves in a shared virtual world. Although we don't communicate during the film, we can always exchange our thoughts afterwards. It is a great choice [for festive celebration]," said Luo Pingchuan, another moviegoer.
China becomes global box office champion so far in 2026
China is expected to handle 5.08 billion domestic passenger trips in total as this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush period hit its halfway point on Saturday, according to official estimates.
On average, a record 250 million trips are being made daily across different Chinese regions from Feb 2, the start of the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush period, to Feb 21.
More than 360 million cross-regional trips are expected on Saturday, marking the third consecutive day during which passenger flow has exceeded the single-day peak of the same period in the history of the annual holiday travel rush.
Saturday, which is also Day 6 of this year's official nine-day Spring Festival holiday, also saw a rise in the number of return trips across China, as people head back to big cities from their hometowns.
The country's rail network is expected to handle 16.8 million passenger trips on the day.
Southwest China's Guizhou, and central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces on Saturday mobilized more overnight high-speed trains and deployed special train services to meet the increasing travel demand by migrant workers.
The Guangzhou South Railway Station in south China's Guangdong Province, a premier destination for migrant labor, has recently brought an intelligent system online to ensure the smooth high-intensity operations during the return travel rush.
On China's roads, over 339 million trips have been estimated on Saturday, with traffic volume on expressways expected to exceed 65 million.
Meanwhile, Saturday is also expected to see 2.63 million passenger trips made by air and 1.81 million trips made by water, with the maritime authorities monitoring key areas around the clock to ensure the safety of passengers on their return journeys.
"The volume of cross-regional personnel flow is expected to continue increasing tomorrow to reach the peak of overall passenger flow in the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush period this year. We've been continuously improving the comprehensive transportation network, effectively guaranteeing the large-scale travel of the population," said Yang Yong, deputy head of the Transport Services Department of the Chinese Ministry of Transport.
The Spring Festival travel rush, also known as "chunyun," amounts to the world's largest annual human migration as millions embark on journeys across the nation to reunite with loved ones to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year.
The Spring Festival fell on Feb 17 this year. The official holiday lasts nine days from Feb 15 to 23, with the travel rush period lasting through March 13.
China to handle 5.08 billion domestic trips overall as Spring Festival travel rush hits halfway point
