China's film market continues its strong recovery as the 2026 Spring Festival box office surpassed 2.8 billion yuan ($405.3 million) in just five days, according to data from online ticketing platform Maoyan. The nine-day holiday period that began on February 14 has emerged as a crucial barometer for the world's second-largest film market.
This year's holiday lineup features an unprecedented mix of genres, with seven major releases spanning family comedies, historical epics, and cutting-edge sci-fi productions. Industry analysts note the diverse offerings reflect both audience demand and producers' confidence in the market's resilience.
Beacon, another box office tracking platform, reports total 2026 ticket sales (including pre-sales) have already exceeded 5 billion yuan ($723.7 million). The strong performance comes as cinema operators complete nationwide upgrades to premium formats like IMAX and Dolby Atmos.
The Spring Festival cinema boom underscores China's growing cultural consumption power, with families increasingly making movie-going part of their traditional holiday celebrations. Industry experts predict the final holiday figures could challenge 2025's annual box office total of $7.5 billion.
