China's film industry is off to a roaring start for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, as pre-sales for movies have exceeded 600 million yuan (approximately $83 million) in just seven days since pre-sales began on January 19. This achievement marks a new record for the fastest time to reach this milestone, according to data from box office trackers.
Leading the charge is \"The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero,\" an adaptation of the classic Chinese wuxia novel. The film has garnered over 243 million yuan in pre-sales, capturing the top spot in audience anticipation. \"Ne Zha 2,\" the sequel to the 2019 animated hit \"Ne Zha,\" holds the second position with nearly 106 million yuan. Close behind is \"Detective Chinatown 1900,\" the latest installment in the popular \"Detective Chinatown\" franchise, securing over 103 million yuan in pre-sales.
The Spring Festival holiday, one of China's most lucrative periods for cinema, runs from January 28 to February 4 this year—one day longer than usual. Six domestic films are set to premiere on January 29, the first day of the 2025 Chinese New Year, offering audiences a diverse cinematic feast.
This year's lineup spans a variety of genres, including martial arts, mythology, animation, and action. Notably, the average runtime of these films exceeds 137 minutes, setting a new record for the longest average runtime in the history of Spring Festival releases.
Xiang Kai, a renowned playwright and director, emphasized the cultural richness of this year's offerings. \"It's the strongest lineup ever during this period,\" he said. \"The diversity and cultural depth of these films reflect a growing confidence in Chinese culture among audiences.\"
The excitement is palpable across Chinese social media platforms. On lifestyle app RedNote, many users shared plans to watch \"Ne Zha 2\" with their children. A user on Sina Weibo expressed enthusiasm about seeing \"The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero\" with family members, noting how it evokes cherished memories of the original TV series among those born in the 1970s and 1980s.
Wang Shu, a movie data analyst, observed a trend toward family viewings. \"On the first day of pre-sales, we noticed that over a quarter of ticket buyers planned to watch movies in groups of three or more, a five percent increase from last year,\" Wang told CMG. \"This suggests that this year's Spring Festival films have a stronger appeal for family audiences.\"
To further boost the film market, the China Film Administration has launched a consumption promotion campaign, offering subsidies totaling 600 million yuan to the public through the end of February. Provincial governments in regions such as Guangdong, Hubei, and Jiangsu are also issuing tens of millions of yuan in vouchers to encourage cinema attendance.
Industry projections are optimistic. The total box office revenue for the 2025 Spring Festival season is expected to surpass last year's record of approximately 8 billion yuan. U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley predicts that strong releases and robust market demand could drive total revenue to a new high of 8.8 billion yuan, marking a nine percent year-on-year increase.
Wei Pengju, dean of the Institute of Cultural and Economic Research at the Central University of Finance and Economics, highlighted the significance of the pre-sales record. \"It reflects the synergy between cultural development and economic growth,\" Wei said. \"This ensures a brighter, more sustainable, and competitive future for China's film industry.\"
Reference(s):
China's Spring Festival box office pre-sales surpass 600 mln yuan
cgtn.com
