New films debuting during the Chinese New Year holiday season have raked in over 1 billion yuan ($138 million) in total pre-sales as of Tuesday afternoon, achieving a significant milestone since pre-sales began over a week ago.
This year's lineup showcases unprecedented diversity, with the top five pre-selling titles spanning genres such as wuxia (martial arts), mythology, animation, suspense, and action. The average runtime of these films exceeds 137 minutes, setting a new record for the longest average duration in Chinese New Year cinematic history. Meanwhile, the minimum ticket prices for most blockbusters remain unchanged from last year.
Leading the pre-sales chart is The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero, which has swiftly surpassed 100 million yuan. Other top titles, including Ne Zha 2, Detective Chinatown 1900, Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force, and Operation Hadal, have each exceeded 20 million yuan in pre-sales.
Data reveals that over 25 percent of tickets purchased on the first day of pre-sales were for groups of three or more viewers—a five percent increase compared to last year, according to Wang Shu, a film data analyst, who told China Media Group. \"This suggests that films during this year's Spring Festival season hold stronger appeal for family or group outings,\" Wang explained.
Wei Pengju, dean of the Culture Economics Institute at the Central University of Finance and Economics, noted that many films in this year's lineup are based on intellectual property (IP), leveraging established content brands. The Guochao (China-chic) trend has amplified movie market consumption. Wei added that whether through traditional cultural themes or patriotic narratives, films infused with Guochao elements attract audiences not just to watch a movie, but to experience and affirm cultural identity.
However, traditional cultural elements alone are not enough to draw audiences into theaters. High-quality production is also essential, a feat made possible by the rapid advancement of the entire cultural industry chain. Advancements in special effects technology and the widespread application of AI-generated content (AIGC) are reshaping the entire film ecosystem—from pre-visualization and production to the viewing experience itself, said Hu Ruiyan, deputy director of the Qingdao West Coast New Area Film and Television Industry Development Center. \"These innovations are redefining modern cinematic storytelling,\" Hu added.
Reference(s):
China's Spring Festival box office pre-sales surpass 1 billion yuan
cgtn.com
