The summer animation box office boom has fueled creative industries and tourism consumption in Shanghai as movie goers swarm into cinemas and theme parks for All Wishes Come True and Toy Story 5.
Inspired by the legend of the Eight Immortals, the Chinese animated film All Wishes Come True has become a summer box-office hit, with the box office earning exceeding 600 million yuan (about 88.6 million U.S. dollars) in less than eight days after its release on July 18.
The story follows eight ordinary people who meet by chance and embark on an unexpected journey. Through a series of challenges, they gradually discover their strengths and eventually become the Eight Immortals known to generations of Chinese people.
The film mixes comedy, adventure and traditional Chinese visual elements and offers a new interpretation of a story that has been told for generations.
"It's fascinating and moving. The Eight Immortals crossing the sea I used to know about impressed me that the Eight Immortals might be really deities, but now I understand they seem to be actually mortals," said viewer at the UME cinema in Shanghai Xintiandi Plaza.
With innovative storytelling and high-quality production, the film has attracted a significant number of middle-aged and elderly viewers among the audience.
"Half of our six screening rooms are dedicated to All Wishes Come True. The overall production quality of domestic animations has improved dramatically. The animations are no longer just for young children, they appeal to all age groups now," said Lu Ying, assistant manager of the cinema.
At the cinema's retail section, many moviegoers purchase film-related souvenirs, boosting the cinema's revenue.
"On a daily basis, revenue from these merchandise sales now accounts for nearly 17 to 18 percent of our daily box office intake," said Zhao Heqian, duty manager of the cinema.
Beyond physical merchandise, animation IPs are extending their reach into tourism through cross-sector collaborations.
At Shanghai Disneyland's Toy Story Land, many visitors travel here specifically after watching the movie Toy Story 5 to immerse themselves in the world of the silver screen characters.
"I'm really drawn to the female image of Jessie, so I tried to imitate her today. My friend cosplays Woody here," said a visitor at Shanghai Disneyland.
The film, also released during the summer slot, has grossed over 280 million yuan in the Chinese mainland as of late July.
Summer animation box office boom fuels creativity, tourism consumption
Weihai, a coastal city in eastern China, is experiencing a summer paddleboarding and surfing boom that has packed its beaches and fueled rising demand for water sports gear in domestic and overseas markets.
The city has built a complete industrial ecosystem covering raw material research and development, mold design, assembly manufacturing, and cross-border sales. In the first five months of this year, Weihai's exports of water sports gear reached 950 million yuan (about 140 million U.S. dollars), up 20.4 percent year on year. Among these, wakeboards and surfboards accounted for more than 70 percent of exports, with growth accelerating to 38.6 percent.
Local manufacturers, once focused on original equipment manufacturing (OEM) for foreign brands, are now racing to build their own labels, supported by the city's mature industrial supply chain.
Weihai's sea surface is dotted with colorful paddleboards as clubs organize training camps for young enthusiasts, with many summer camps fully booked by late June and daily participation topping 100.
"Most of my classmates know how to paddleboard, so I think it's quite a popular sport," said Xu Ziqing, a young paddleboarding trainee.
Behind the seaside bustle, Weihai's water sports equipment manufacturing sector is operating at full capacity. At a sportswear company, workers are racing to produce inflatable paddleboards bound for European and American markets. In the first half of this year, the company shipped more than 90,000 units, marking a 2.5-fold year-on-year increase.
"When we first entered the industry, we started doing OEM for others. After accumulating enough experience, we began developing our own clients and launching our own brands," said said Wang Yongfeng, general manager of Hetong (Weihai) Sports Goods Co.
Just a few kilometers apart, Weihai firms can source every production component, enabling new water sports products to move from blueprint to sample in only days thanks to the city's mature industrial ecosystem.
"So far, we have long-term partnerships with 40 to 50 supporting suppliers. Whatever accessories we need for new product development, we can source them from the supply chain very quickly," said Wang.
The consumer boom is quickly feeding into the supply chain, with demand rippling upstream to component makers. One firm that once specialized in parts for automobiles and trains has pivoted to water sports, now producing carbon fiber paddles, hydrofoils, and other key components for paddleboard manufacturers. "Our production capacity in 2026 has roughly tripled or quadrupled compared to before. Water sports products now account for 55 to 60 percent of our total carbon fiber sales," said Liu Zhiqing, deputy general manager of Weihai Heliyuan Carbon Fiber Technology Co.
Weihai sees water sports boom as paddleboarding demand lifts exports
