China’s Box Office Overview: March 2025 Highlights
As March 2025 comes to a close, the Chinese box office has shown significant developments, highlighted by the continued success of Coco Cartoon’s animated feature, Ne Zha 2. This film has emerged as a frontrunner, achieving a remarkable cumulative gross of $2.09 billion, solidifying its position as the top release of the year.
Weekend Box Office Performance
The box office landscape over the recent weekend was relatively subdued, with A Working Man, an action thriller starring Jason Statham, debuting in second place. Its opening weekend garnered a modest $3.3 million, making it the most successful new release, although it did not reach blockbuster levels.
Ongoing Releases
In third place, The River of Fury, a crime thriller from Hanna Pictures, earned $2.1 million. After two weeks in theaters, its cumulative earnings stand at $5.4 million. The film, directed by Feng Yongqin, intertwines a woman’s mysterious disappearance with a series of murders.
Further down the ranks, Detective Chinatown 1900 has maintained stability in fourth place with a weekend gross of $1.8 million, pushing its total earnings close to $494.7 million. This film’s continued popularity reflects the franchise’s strong following, keeping it in the top five for nine consecutive weeks.
New Entrants
Completing the top five is New Life from Lean Ray Pictures, which amassed $700,000 in its second weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $3.2 million. Directed by Dong Hong-Ji, the narrative depicts the budding friendship between a lonely worker and a stray dog.
Overall Box Office Summary
The total box office revenue for the weekend reached $20 million, which contributes to an impressive annual total of $33.9 billion for 2025. Notably, this figure represents a substantial increase of 50.4% when compared to the same timeframe in 2024.
Conclusion
The ongoing success of Ne Zha 2 and the diverse range of films in the market reflect a vibrant and growing film industry in China. As audiences continue to engage with both new stories and well-loved franchises, the Chinese box office appears poised for a strong year ahead.