China's summer movie season is gathering pace ahead of the seven-week school holiday period, with box office revenue for the summer holiday season exceeding 1.29 billion yuan (about 190 million U.S. dollars) as of Thursday midnight, industry data showed.
Total box office revenue for 2026 has surpassed 17 billion yuan (about 2.36 billion U.S. dollars) so far this year, reflecting the continued recovery and vitality of the country's film market.
Industry analysts said this year's summer lineup features a more balanced mix of genres than last year, including patriotic productions, comedies, action films, animated features and imported blockbusters, offering a wider range of choices for moviegoers.
As one of the most important movie-going periods of the year, the summer season is expected to play a key role in stimulating audience demand and unlocking market potential.
The box office of the recently-concluded Dragon Boat Festival (or Duanwu Festival) holiday from June 19 to 21 set a new record for the number of screenings during the festival period in China's film history. Nearly 20 films were released during the holiday, attracting large numbers of students who had just completed high school and middle school entrance examinations.
"The number of private screenings at our cinema has been quite encouraging. Many students booked screenings of the animated film 'Toy Story 5', which also topped the Dragon Boat Festival holiday box office," said Ren Yan, a staff member at a cinema in Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province.
The growing popularity of movie-going has also boosted consumption in surrounding commercial areas.
In Fuzhou City, east China's Jiangxi Province, shopping malls and commercial complexes have launched a series of promotional activities, encouraging consumers to shop, dine, and enjoy entertainment before and after watching movies.
"Movie theaters, restaurants and entertainment venues have all seen strong customer traffic. Many customers choose to watch a movie, have a meal, or enjoy entertainment after participating in mall events, thereby extending their stay and boosting overall consumption. Visitor numbers at our mall increased by 32 percent year on year, while sales rose by 21 percent from the previous year," said Zou Xin, an operations assistant at a local shopping mall.
China's summer movie season gains momentum as box office tops 1.29 bln yuan
