China's 2025 Spring Festival box office breaks records

China's film industry set a new milestone during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, with box office revenue from January 29 to February 1 reaching a record 5.75 billion yuan (about US$802 million), surpassing the previous high of 5.73 billion yuan set in 2021.

As of February 2, box office revenue from the holiday had reached 7 billion yuan. The reading for the first six days of the holiday, driven mainly by popular domestic productions, is already nearing the record box office of 8.02 billion yuan set during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday.

Bringing the total box office revenue since the beginning of 2025 to 9 billion yuan, the figure has solidified China's position as a global leader in box office revenue for 2025.

"The moviegoers' enthusiasm indicates vibrant consumption during the holiday as well as the consumers' confidence in domestic productions," said Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association.

The Spring Festival, traditionally a peak and lucrative period for moviegoing, saw fierce competition among major releases. This year, the Spring Festival holiday was extended by one day to eight days, running from January 28 to February 4.

Leading the pack was the animated fantasy "Ne Zha 2," which earned over 3.1 billion yuan in just five days after it landed in movie theaters, according to data released by the box office tracker Beacon.

The sequel, trailing the success of the 2019 hit "Ne Zha," which raked in a revenue of over 5 billion yuan, impressed audiences with its stunning visuals and engaging storyline, earning an 8.6 rating on Douban, a popular Chinese film review platform.

"'Ne Zha 2' has far surpassed 'Ne Zha,' delivering an immersive cinematic experience," said Liu Wenzhang, producer of the "Ne Zha" series and CEO of Chengdu Coco Cartoon Co., Ltd.

Reflecting rich Chinese cultural heritage, the film saw broad appeal, with over 32 percent of viewers opting for group screenings, often bringing along their relatives and children.

Trailing behind was "Detective Chinatown 1900," a detective thriller that raked in 1.8 billion yuan, securing second place. Part of the successful Detective Chinatown franchise, the film continued to draw fans with its intricate plot and engaging performances.

Third place went to "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force," which grossed 894 million yuan. The film added to the trend of multiple strong performers during this year's holiday season, highlighting a diverse and robust lineup.

Though "Ne Zha 2" turned out to be the biggest highlight of the holiday, other films also showed market potential, said Rao. A seasoned observer of the market, he forecast that the box office revenue for the holiday will surpass 9.5 billion yuan.

Chen Jin, a data analyst from Beacon, expressed his hope that this year's Spring Festival box office would not only set a new revenue record but also deliver outstanding audience satisfaction. "The strong performance of these films lays a solid foundation for the steady growth of China's film market in 2025."