The Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 has kicked off a record-breaking box office journey since its release last Wednesday, continuing to excel in theaters across China.

On its seventh day of release, the film achieved an astonishing gross of USD $118.38 million on Tuesday, bringing its total earnings to an impressive $665.7 million. This remarkable figure positions it as the highest-grossing animated film ever in a single market, surpassing the U.S. earnings of Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out 2, which garnered $652.9 million last year.

While China’s moviegoing audience is notably larger than that of the United States, it’s important to consider that ticket prices are also more affordable. According to the Chinese research firm Entgroup, the average ticket price for Ne Zha 2 stands at USD $6.85.

Upcoming Milestones

By tomorrow, Ne Zha 2 is set to overtake the original Ne Zha (2019) to claim the title of the highest-grossing animated film in Chinese history, as well as becoming the fourth highest-grossing theatrical release in the country overall. It is virtually assured that it will become the highest-grossing film in China’s cinematic history. The chart below highlights the film’s extraordinary performance compared to other all-time box office champions in China.

Cumulative Boxoffice Comparison

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🟠#战狼2 #WolfWarrior2

🟣#你好李焕英 #HiMom

🔴#哪吒之魔童降世 #NeZha

🔵#流浪地球 #TheWanderingEarth #ChinaBoxOffice #BoxOffice pic.twitter.com/iPdb5Ojygf

— 防弹松鼠 (@bulletproofsqui) February 4, 2025

Looking Ahead

Directed by Yu Yang, the nearly two-and-a-half-hour film Ne Zha 2 draws inspiration from the classic 16th-century Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods. It is scheduled for release in Australia and New Zealand on February 13, followed by its debut in the U.S. and Canada on February 14.