China's film industry concludes 2025 with record-breaking momentum as the year-end box office surpasses 5 billion yuan ($714 million) by December 28, achieving the strongest performance for this period since 2017. This milestone contributes to the Chinese mainland's total annual cinema revenue exceeding 51 billion yuan – cementing its position as one of the world's most dynamic cultural markets.
Industry analysts attribute this success to a combination of factors: A slate of high-quality domestic productions capturing 68% of market share, strategic holiday season releases, and innovative theater-chain expansions into lower-tier cities. The current season saw particular strength in sci-fi epics and family-oriented animations, with three local productions each crossing the 800 million yuan mark.
This growth comes amid increased international collaboration, with several Sino-foreign co-projects contributing to both box office numbers and technological exchanges in CGI and immersive audio formats. The market's resilience continues to attract overseas investors, particularly in distribution infrastructure and content creation platforms.
