China's film industry has kicked off the Year of the Horse with record-breaking momentum, as the 2026 Spring Festival box office surpassed 2 billion yuan ($290 million) by Wednesday afternoon. This milestone comes just four days into the nine-day holiday period that began on February 14, signaling strong consumer confidence in the world's second-largest film market.
This year's holiday lineup features an unprecedented mix of genres, from family-friendly comedies to cutting-edge science fiction epics. Industry analysts attribute the robust performance to both pent-up demand and strategic scheduling of major releases during the culturally significant Spring Festival period.
The current box office surge follows last week's report of 1.1 billion yuan in presales, demonstrating sustained audience engagement throughout the holiday. With five days remaining in the official holiday period, industry watchers predict total revenues could challenge previous annual records set in the Chinese mainland.
