Big in China

Ne Zha 2
Any day now, Ne Zha 2 will also become the first non-English-language film to crack the top 10 of all-time worldwide theatrical grossers. Photo: VCG/VCG/Getty Images
Scott Mendelson
February 17, 2025

No film has ever earned $1 billion at the U.S. box office. Avatar didn’t do it, nor did Star Wars: The Force Awakens or Avengers: Endgame. But the North American market is nowhere near as large as China, where Ne Zha 2, a follow-up to the 2019 animated blockbuster, has now grossed $1.636 billion and counting since its release on January 29—crushing the previous global record for a single marketplace. Any day now, Ne Zha 2 will also become the first non-English-language film to crack the top 10 of all-time worldwide theatrical grossers. It’s also not alone. During the past three weeks, which included the Lunar New Year, Chinese audiences turned out for Detective Chinatown 1900 ($440 million), Creation of the Gods II ($160 million), and Boonie Bears: Future Reborn (just over $100 million). Combined, these four blockbusters have grossed more than $2 billion in less than a month.