Box Office
On Screen China: A Bearish Weekend for the Force
After nine days in cinemas, The Force Awakens grossed $96.2 million, its final tally now likely to be more in line with that of Terminator: Genisys than with Jurassic World. Read More
On Screen China: New Releases Hope to Capture Some of the Force at the Box-Office
Thanks to an unenthusiastic reception from mainland audiences for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, several new releases — both imported and local — have the opportunity this weekend to sweep into theaters and grab a larger share of the market than previously anticipated. The Last Witch Hunter (最后的巫师猎人) – Friday, January 15 Distributor: China Film Read More
On Screen China: The Force Flags in Opening Weekend
After months of a Disney marketing blitz targeting an audience largely unfamiliar with the franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (星球大战：原力觉醒) debuted in China on Saturday, and grossed a two-day estimated total of $52.7 million. Read More
On Screen China: The ‘Star Wars’ Force Is Strong for the Future
Star Wars: The Force Awakens will finally invade Chinese theaters this Saturday, January 9 and the hype is at a fever pitch — in Hollywood. However, the tone in mainland China has been more muted, especially in interior cities where the franchise comes nowhere near being the cultural phenomenon it is in other countries. Read More
On Screen China: 2016 Opens With a Record Weekend
After China’s roaring box office posted nearly 50% growth in 2015 over the previous year, moviegoers in the world’s second largest film market rang in 2016 with more record-shattering numbers. Read More
On Screen China: Booming Box Office Ends 2015 Up 48.7%
In 2015, China’s booming box office grew an incredible 48.7% to reach a record $6.8 billion (RMB 44.07 billion) according to a statement released late Thursday by SARFT (State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television). The yearly growth was the second highest since China’s modern film industry began to develop in 2004, second Read More
That’s a Wrap: 2015’s Top China Film Stories and Trends
The China Film Insider team wishes you a happy 2016. Thank you for reading and for sharing our work with your friends and colleagues as we continue to grow in the new year. — Jonathan Landreth, Sky Canaves, Pang-chieh Ho, and Jonathan Papish. The box-office booms. Again. China’s box office revenues grew at a blistering Read More
On Screen China: Appealing to the Lowest Common Denominator
Actor-director Deng Chao was accused of pushing Chinese comedy “to a new low in terms of racist and homophobic humor” after Deng himself donned blackface in last year’s The Breakup Guru, yet that film still managed to haul in $103 million from Chinese moviegoers. Read More
On Screen China: Christmas Eve Date Night at the Movies
After a quiet start to the annual Chinese box office “New Year’s period” (贺岁档)—just $212 million grossed during the first 17 days of December—ticket sales exploded last weekend as homegrown blockbuster Mojin—The Lost Legend (寻龙诀) debuted with a record $93 million. Mojin will continue its trek this weekend as it attempts to topple Monster Hunt as the highest-grossing film of all-time in China. But the distributors of two new releases will try to take advantage of the considerable space left over in the market by an underwhelming run from Surprise (万万没想到). Read More
On Screen China: ‘Mojin’ Racks Up the Box Office Records
While the rest of the world flocked to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Chinese moviegoers instead rushed to catch a homegrown blockbuster, Mojin—The Lost Legend (寻龙诀), buying tickets worth $91.9 million in just three days and helping the film from Wanda Pictures, Enlight Pictures, and Huayi Brothers to set several box office records for Chinese-language films. As predicted, Mojin and runner-up Surprise (万万没想到)—which grossed a modest $22.9 million over the three-day weekend—completely dominated China’s box office, accounting for a weekend market share of over 96%. Read More