China’s box office records were smashed this week as animated blockbuster Nezha 2 became the highest-grossing film in the country’s history following its January 29 release.
Millions around the country flocked to cinemas over the Lunar New Year holiday to watch the latest instalment in the Nezha phenomenon, which is adapted from the epic tale of Nezha, a youthful deity who defied the dragons in Chinese mythology.
That a story taken from Chinese history and folklore should be so popular with audiences is no surprise.
Over recent years, amid China’s rapid economic growth and technological rivalry with the West, there has been an increase in national pride and a revival of traditional culture. This has seen old and new collide, with these ancient tales being retold using the latest in digital technology.
It is this reignited passion for traditional Chinese culture that has also seen success for similar entertainment, including Tang dynasty-inspired blockbuster 30,000 Miles from Changan, and classic novel-based action game Black Myth: Wukong.
Box office takings for Nezha 2 are touted to be the closest to international industry standards ever achieved. On Thursday, the film officially became China’s highest-grossing movie, reaching 5.8 billion yuan (US$796 million) in revenue, overtaking the previous record set in 2021 by The Battle at Lake Changjin, a patriotic account of the Chinese stand-off against the United States during the Korean war.
It marks a new milestone for locally produced animation, which has been overtaking the shares of Disney and Japanese motion movies in the Chinese market in recent years.
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