The Chinese box office just saw a surge in activity. With the new title Nezha 2 opening around the Lunar New Year’s beginning, this marks a new high for China’s box office and one that hasn’t been seen in some time. 

Following the success of the first film, Nezha 2 follows a band of characters trying to restore the physical bodies of two powerful entities, using old artifacts and practices in attempts to do so, while many roadblocks pop up along the way. 

Nezha, originally hitting Chinese theaters back in 2019, already was responsible for holding several box office records upon its release. With a reported gross of what would value roughly $700 million, it was the biggest animated film that the country had ever seen up to that point. 

Hollywood Reporter notes that, although still early into its run, Nezha 2 is estimated to end its box office circuit as the biggest blockbuster native to the country, thanks to predictions from Maoyan. Its current total of $434 million is nearly half the total box office revenue that China has seen since the start of the Chinese New Year. 

The $978 million overall gross, as well, is already nearly 30% over what it was this time last year for the industry. After the strong turnout already, early hopes are that it could revitalize moviegoing within China, after a slog of a stretch in 2024.

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