The Chinese mainland's film industry celebrates a triumphant Spring Festival holiday as box office revenues surged past 5.4 billion yuan ($781 million) by Sunday evening, marking one of the strongest post-pandemic performances for the world's second-largest movie market.
Domestic racing comedy Pegasus 3 emerged as the holiday champion, capturing 38% of total ticket sales through its blend of high-octane action and family-friendly humor. The film's success underscores the continued dominance of local productions during China's most important cultural festival.
Industry analysts attribute this year's robust performance to improved theater attendance and strategic scheduling of releases. "The 2026 results demonstrate both consumer confidence returning to pre-2020 levels and the maturing of China's domestic film production capabilities," noted Shanghai-based entertainment market researcher Li Wei.
Other notable performers included historical epic Dynasty's Dawn and animated feature Moon Rabbit Adventures, which collectively accounted for 45% of remaining market share. The strong showing comes as China's cultural sector continues playing a vital role in domestic economic recovery efforts.
