The Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2", fresh from shattering domestic box office records in China, is now all set to wow cinemagoers around the world as the film makes its global debut.
Following its monumental success in China, where it has already amassed over 10 billion yuan (approximately 1.37 billion U.S. dollars) as of Thursday, the film has begun captivating audiences in select overseas markets, including Australia, the United States, and Canada.
In Sydney, enthusiastic fans rushed to secure tickets during the film's premiere screenings, with many sold-out sessions underscoring its overwhelming demand.
"I have been watching many animations and this is the best one I've ever watched before," said a moviegoer.
Despite being a weekday, screenings in Australia were packed out as the film opened on Thursday, with only a minimal number of tickets being available in the following days, such is the demand to see the movie.
"It's so popular because so many people around me they want to buy this ticket [but] they can't buy," said another film-goer, reflecting the fervor surrounding the film's overseas launch.
A sequel to the 2019 hit "Ne Zha", which reimagined a beloved Chinese mythological hero, "Ne Zha 2" continues to blend vibrant storytelling with cutting-edge animation.
Pao-chen Tang, a film studies lecturer at the University of Sydney who attended the Australian premiere, noted some of the reasons why the movie's storyline has resonated so well with Chinese audiences.
"I've been observing the vibe and the expectation build up and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. The plot I think went pretty smoothly and special effects were very well crafted. [It's kind of] like an icon of contemporary Chinese cinema so to speak, a childhood memory for many people, it's kind of a mythological figure whose story gets constantly told and retold," Tang said.
Its strategic international roll-out highlights China's growing influence in global cultural exports, and with the film already becoming the third-highest grossing animated film of all time, many are hoping to see more quality Chinese productions following in its footsteps in the near future.
"I would certainly hope there is a nice flow on effect and that we see more films from this studio - if they've got the world's attention with this, which they certainly have, I'd love to see some follow up to this so that we have a steady stream now coming out that match this level of story and complexity and detail and artistry," said James Calvert, a senior lecturer for animation at the University of South Australia.
"Ne Zha 2" bridges cultures, charts new era for Chinese animation with global debut
