China's box office is continuing to enjoy a bumper summer with record-breaking numbers in both viewer attendance and screenings, as the country's "film plus" strategy continues to fuel consumer spending during the lucrative three-month summer season.
Industry data shows the summer box office revenue has surpassed 9.2 billion yuan (about 1.36 billion U.S. dollars) as of Thursday afternoon, marking a 200-million-yuan uptick on the box office earnings reported on the same day last year.
According to Maoyan, one of China major online movie ticket platforms, cinemas across the country have seen record-setting figures with over 250 million viewer admissions and a total of 32.2 million screenings taking place in theaters since the official summer box office period kicked off on June 1.
Top-earning homegrown hits include racing-comedy "Pegasus 3," Hong Kong director Stephen Chow's sports comedy "Kung Fu Soccer" about a team of female footballers, the touching family drama "Dear You," and animated film "All Wishes Come True."
Adding to the lineup is the new contender "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East," a historic comedy-drama set in a Chinese restaurant in war-torn Iraq in 2003. The film has already grossed over 400 million yuan (nearly 60 million U.S. dollars) in less than three days since its release on Tuesday.
The strong overall box office performance in recent months has been boosted by China's "film plus" strategy, a government-backed initiative that integrates cinema consumption with tourism, dining, retail, transportation, and other sectors to maximize the economic ripple effect of moviegoing.
The initiative has reinvigorated the sector, with China's total film industry output exceeding 390 billion yuan (over 57.8 billion U.S. dollars) since the beginning of the year.
Consumers are also enjoying better promotions, while average ticket prices have dropped to a 5-year low this summer season thanks to nationwide promotional campaigns.
China's summer box office sees record-breaking viewer attendance, screenings
China's summer box office sees record-breaking viewer attendance, screenings
