Chinese mainland's Spring Festival box office revenue, including pre-sales, has exceeded 2.8 billion yuan (about 377 million U.S. dollars) as of 12:08 Thursday, according to box office tracker Dengta Data.
The China Film Administration reports that Wednesday, the first day of the Chinese New Year, generated a record-breaking 1.805 billion yuan in box office revenue, with over 35 million people flocking to cinemas.
These figures exceed the previous single-day records for both revenue and attendance, set on the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2021.
Six domestic films hit cinemas on Wednesday, with a diverse genres catering to a wide spectrum of audiences.
The lineup includes the mythological epic "Creation of the Gods II: Demonic Confrontation," the sequel to the highest-grossing animated film in Chinese history "Nezha: Demon Child Conquers the Sea," martial art film "The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero," action comedy "Detective Chinatown 1900," military-themed film "Operation Hadal" and animated feature "Boonie Bears: Future Reborn."
The first four of these films each exceeded 200 million yuan in pre-sale ticket sales, making it the most successful pre-sale period in history.
"This year's Chinese New Year movie is the strongest yet. Even morning screenings are drawing large crowds, with attendance at 60 to 70 percent capacity. Some smaller theaters are completely sold out. Family comedies and detective thrillers are proving especially popular," said Shen Yan, a cinema manager in Guangzhou City.
Among the highly anticipated releases is Nezha, a sequel to the animated film inspired by Chinese mythology.
"Watching a movie is a great way to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Nowadays Chinese animations have more beautiful special effects," said a moviegoer. "When I entered the cinema, I found that their equipment is very new, with super comfortable seats," said another moviegoer.
This year's holiday lineup features a record number of visual effects blockbusters. Some productions incorporated AI-generated content (AIGC) for ultra-realistic visuals.
Cinemas have also upgraded their facilities to enhance viewing experiences.
"All six films for Spring Festival are available in CINITY format (which runs at 60 frames per second - compared to the traditional 24) in our cinema. The high framerate and dynamic images are quite popular among the audience," Shen said.
The cinemas in Shanghai are also packed on Wednesday as the new films drew a large crowds of moviegoers, many of whom attended as families.
"Based on the current growth rate, we expect Spring Festival box office to reach new heights, setting a positive tone for the 2025 film market," said Wu Ting, a cinema manager in Shanghai.
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China's Spring Festival box office exceeds 2.8 bln yuan
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China's Spring Festival box office exceeds 2.8 bln yuan