This weekend, “Ne Zha 2” grossed $1.1 billion in China, becoming the first film to reach this milestone in a single market. It ranks as the number seven animated film globally and could potentially become the second highest ever if projections hold. Disney’s “Mufasa” and “Paddington in Peru” also report strong performance overseas, with the latter surpassing $100 million.
This past weekend, the international box office was dominated by the remarkable success of the Chinese blockbuster “Ne Zha 2,” which has set records by becoming the first film to gross over $1 billion in one territory. Current estimates from Maoyan indicate that the film has reached RMB 8 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in China alone.
As it stands, “Ne Zha 2” now ranks as the seventh highest-grossing animated film worldwide. Projections for the film’s total gross have been raised to RMB 12 billion (around $1.65 billion), which, if achieved, would elevate it to the second position among animated films globally, without accounting for any earnings from markets outside of China where international release is imminent.
The film has also performed exceptionally well in the IMAX format, bringing in $63.9 million and becoming the highest-grossing local language release in IMAX history within just 12 days. Meanwhile, the box office landscape outside of China has continued to see moderate performance from established Hollywood titles.
Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” continued to lead the studio’s international outings, generating $8.5 million (-29%), accumulating an overseas total of $435.9 million with a global tally of $671.1 million. Key market performances have come from France, the UK, and Mexico.
Meanwhile, “Paddington in Peru,” set to open in North America via Sony, has surpassed $100 million abroad, amassing a total of $104 million thus far, with upcoming releases anticipated in several key markets. Furthermore, DreamWorks Animation’s “Dog Man” has expanded its presence to 41 markets, earning $6.6 million this weekend to reach an international total of $11.9 million
However, recent weekend openings in the UK saw a debut of $4 million, outperforming a range of animated features such as “Kung Fu Panda 3” and “Trolls 3.” Key upcoming releases are expected in Brazil, Australia, and Korea.
In summary, “Ne Zha 2” has emerged as a groundbreaking success in the international box office scene, achieving unprecedented figures in China and setting new records for animated films. Other titles like “Mufasa” and “Paddington in Peru” are also performing well, indicating a competitive landscape ahead. With key releases in various markets on the horizon, the overall performance in the global box office remains optimistic.
Original Source: deadline.com
