The Chinese animated film Nezha 2 has become the highest-grossing film in the country’s history, surpassing 5.8 billion yuan in earnings as of Thursday. The film’s success comes after a record-breaking performance during the recent Lunar New Year holiday period, drawing large audiences to cinemas across the nation.
The film, which follows the magical adventures of a mythical boy endowed with incredible martial arts skills, has overtaken The Battle at Lake Changjin—a 2021 war epic about the Korean War—according to Maoyan, an online ticketing platform. Nezha 2 is a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Nezha, which holds the fifth spot on China’s all-time highest-grossing films list. Both films are loosely based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods, a popular classic rooted in Chinese mythology.
This milestone comes at a pivotal time for China’s film industry, which had experienced a steep decline in 2024, with box office revenues falling by 22.6% compared to the previous year. The dismal results were attributed to a combination of economic challenges and an audience that remained hesitant to return to cinemas. However, Nezha 2‘s box office performance signals a positive shift, with the film benefiting from the strong turnout during the Lunar New Year holiday, a prime period for moviegoers.
Despite this promising start to 2025, analysts remain cautious. The Chinese film market’s future remains uncertain, particularly given the volatility caused by a sluggish economy. Box office performance in the country is heavily influenced by the release of major blockbusters, and distributors often hesitate to release big-budget films during uncertain economic times or outside of holiday seasons. Goldman Sachs recently reported that the long-term outlook for the film industry remains unclear, despite the current box office boom.
As Nezha 2 continues its theatrical run, its box office earnings are expected to rise further, cementing its place as one of the highest-grossing films in Chinese cinema history. Of note, the only non-Chinese film on the top 10 list of highest-grossing films in China is Avengers: Endgame, which secured the ninth spot in 2019 with a total of 4.25 billion yuan in earnings.
The success of Nezha 2 marks a high point for China’s film industry after a challenging year and provides a glimmer of hope for the future. However, it remains to be seen whether the momentum will continue as distributors and audiences navigate a still-uncertain economic climate.
