In recent years, the booming development of the Chinese film market has attracted global attention. Hollywood has become increasingly aware that the Chinese film market has emerged as a critical variable determining global profit and loss, while Chinese audience feedback has become a priority reference data for the global film industry.
2025 was a turbulent year for Hollywood, marked by sluggish box office performance, ongoing labor disputes, and numerous industry challenges.
However, across the Pacific, the Chinese market presented American film professionals with a vibrant and thriving scene. According to data released by the National Film Administration, China's film market staged a powerful comeback in 2025, with annual ticket sales rising nearly 22 percent to approximately 51.83 billion yuan (about 7.37 billion U.S. dollars), fueled by an unprecedented animation boom that saw the genre claim nearly half of the total revenue.
The most typical case is Walt Disney's Zootopia 2. This animated film has grossed over 1.8 billion U.S. dollars, globally, with approximately one-third of that contribution coming from Chinese audiences.
"You know these things, they truly see the potentials of Chinese film market and they have shown the desire to understand Chinese audience, to understand this market. And they have built that kind of relationship over years because they built the only Zootopia land in the world in Shanghai. They have collaborated with many local brands for merchandising," said Zang Jian, an American film publicist.
Experts and industry insiders generally believe that for American film companies, Zootopia 2 is not just a box office success but also a typical case with significant research value.
If, 10 years ago, Chinese audiences' choice for cinema was Hollywood's superhero blockbusters, today, the trend has completely shifted. In 2025, Chinese domestic films accounted for nearly 80 percent of the market share. Chinese cinema's presence on the international stage continues to rise. For example, the animated film "New Gods: Nezha Reborn", also known as "Nezha 2", entered the global spotlight with stunning success.
"China has come into its own as an industry, especially in animation. So the films that are the most popular in China by far are Chinese films about Chinese people that focus on Chinese culture. And I think this is really a triumph for their industry. It shows the results of their learning and their hard work. So having watched this industry grow, I feel very proud of that industry. I think they've just done great," said Josh Selig, an Emmy Award-winning writer and also president of China Bridge Content.
In stark contrast to Nezha 2, Hollywood's once-proud "visual spectacles" are losing their effectiveness. Now, Hollywood's assembly-line products, often lacking emotional resonance, frequently face box office failures.
Professionals said that China is not only an incremental market for the global film industry but also one of the most fiercely competitive content markets. For American films to survive here, they must more accurately understand local audience preferences and distribution rhythms.
"You know, the domestic Chinese industry is full of surprises and it's really one of the few industries that can achieve billion dollar hits onto themselves. China doesn't really rely on what trends are elsewhere. They really look inward to see what sort of themes and films and storylines resonate," said Daniel Loria, senior VP of content strategy and editorial director of BoxOffice Pro.
Chinese film market becomes new priority for global cinema
