IT is the “unknown” animated film that is smashing records, with Ne Zha 2 making more in its first month than ANY of Disney’s biggest blockbusters.
The Chinese flick, about a dragon-slaying boy demon, has raked in $1.72billion (£1.36billion) at the box office, Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan has revealed.
The Chinese flick, about a dragon-slaying boy demon, has raked in $1.72billion (£1.36billion) at the box office[/caption]
That tops the previous all-time number one Inside Out 2, by Pixar Animation Studios and Disney, about the emotions of a child called Riley inside her mind.
That had pulled in $1.71billion (£1.34billion) since its release last June, according to deadline.com.
Ne Zha 2, which hit the big screen on January 29, has also eclipsed the total takings of global juggernauts such as Frozen, Frozen II and The Super Mario Bros, which previously made up the top four.
Chris Olson, editor-in-chief of UK Film Review, told The Sun On Sunday: “The box office figures are extraordinary.
“With incredible takings like this, China is showing it can be a powerhouse in the movie industry.”
In China, social media platform Douyin — the country’s name for TikTok — shows videos of fans, from schoolkids to factory workers, heading off to watch the film, in which actress Lu Yanting voices Ne Zha.
Company Weilong Food in Shandong province posted footage of buses filled with nearly a thousand staff who were going to see it.
One local movie-goer said many Chinese film fans were boycotting Hollywood offerings such as Captain America to support home-grown movies.
Experts reckon it shows the country is fast becoming the one to watch in the film industry.
