The films screened during Chinese New Year holiday earned 5.75 billion yuan ($832 million) at the box office in China by Monday, putting China atop the world's film markets so far this year, according to ticketing and entertainment big data platform Maoyan.
Posters for six major Spring Festival films. [Images provided to China.org.cn]
The Chinese New Year holiday film market achieved the remarkable feat of exceeding 100 million admissions during the Spring Festival period for the eighth consecutive year. This set a new industry record with over 4.3 million screenings and more than 120 million admissions nationwide.
Writer-director Han Han's car racing comedy "Pegasus 3" led the charts as it grossed 2.92 billion yuan, accounting for 50.8% of the box office total. It became the highest earning production during the lucrative film season.
Zhang Yimou's all-star spy thriller "Scare Out," starring Zhu Yilong and Jackson Yee, was at No. 2, grossing 868 million yuan during the holiday. It is the first Chinese film based on contemporary national security. It pays homage to the hidden heroes keeping us safe, featuring high-tension suspense plots and unexpected twists.
Legendary director and kung fu choreographer Yuen Woo-ping's wuxia epic "Blades of the Guardians," involving four generations of kung fu stars including Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse, Jet Li and Yu Shi, came in at third on the box office charts. During the holiday period it took in 806 million yuan.
"Blades of the Guardians" received the best ratings from both critics and audiences for its dazzling action sequences and solid story. It has been gaining incredible momentum at the box office for days, poised to soon surpass "Scare Out" as the second biggest film released during Spring Festival. It has already become the highest-grossing wuxia film in China's cinema history and fast becomes a legend in itself.
The top three films all have IMAX versions, which earned 193 million yuan on the giant screens, with Chinese audiences revealing a growing demand for premium experiences. The IMAX China network delivered 3.4% of the total box office on less than 1% of total screens.
"Moviegoing remains a beloved part of Chinese culture and nowhere is that more apparent than the Chinese New Year holiday, where IMAX continues to drive strong market share and help lead the Chinese box office," said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMAX China.
The fourth on the chart is "Boonie Bears: The Hidden Protector," which grossed 714 million yuan at the box office. As a family entertainment option for parents and children, the new animated installment of the beloved franchise once again proves it is a strong necessity during the holiday season.
The fifth is "Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe," grossing 193 million yuan. A Jackie Chan action-comedy and sequel to 2024's "Panda Plan." The film mixes comedy and action and is fun, silly, childish and offers a lighthearted plot, serving as another option for family friendly entertainment.
The biggest disappointment of the film season is Han Yan's sci-fi adventure "Per Aspera Ad Astra."It received generally positive reviews for its imaginative story but failed to secure proper screening slots in cinemas and sufficient interest from average moviegoers. "Per Aspera Ad Astra" sits at sixth on the chart but has grossed only 80.58 million yuan against a budget of about 400 million yuan.
Hong Kong-produced Cantonese comedy "Night King" follows the story of Hong Kong's local nightclub business and culture. It opened on Feb. 20 in Guangdong province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, where Cantonese films are generally favored. So far it has grossed 72.4 million yuan in the mainland and received exceptional reviews, it expanded to a nationwide release on Feb. 23, the last day of the Spring Festival holiday. Its box office total in Hong Kong and Macao also hit 50 million Hong Kong dollars ($6.39 million) at a record-breaking pace during the period.
There was also a surprising entry: a re-release of the 2017 wildlife documentary "Return to the Wolves," a real story about the deep bond between an artist and a wolf. A vlogger's video commentary went viral earlier this year, prompting the re-release. The film earned 12.73 million yuan during the holiday, bringing its total gross earnings to 46 million yuan.
Two phenomenal Hollywood films continue to draw audiences even though their screening slots were very limited during Spring Festival. "Zootopia 2" added another 28 million yuan to its earnings during the holiday, bringing its China total to a staggering 4.58 billion yuan. It is China's biggest imported foreign film of all time. "Avatar: Fire and Ash" took in 8.24 million yuan, adding to its nearly 1.2 billion yuan total in the Chinese market.
China has overtaken North America as the world's top-grossing film market so far this year. This is fueled by the Spring Festival surge that further cemented moviegoing as a modern festive tradition and family pastime. China's 2026 box office revenue surpassed $1.2 billion as of Feb. 23, outpacing North America's $991 million, according to box office trackers.
