Hollywood's Zootopia 2 defies trend as China box office booms for foreign animation, breaking records and shattering expectations.
In a shocking turn of events, Disney's animated sequel Zootopia 2 has taken the top spot as the highest-grossing foreign film in Chinese history, raking in over 2 billion yuan (approximately $213 million USD) in ticket sales within its first week. This milestone marks a significant shift away from declining interest in overseas productions that have historically struggled to find success on the Chinese box office.
The Disney production has had a remarkable track record in China, with its predecessor Zootopia reportedly grossing 1.5 billion yuan upon release back in 2016. The original film held the title of the country's highest-grossing animated Hollywood film at that time. This year's sequel has shattered those records and outperformed other Hollywood releases.
Interestingly, Zootopia 2 performed better in Chinese theaters than its American counterparts, defying expectations from some observers who had previously seen China as a lucrative market for boosting box office sales.
Chinese audiences have praised the film's "feel-good energy" which seems to override other factors such as the economic and geopolitical challenges faced by the country. Critics also attributed the success of Zootopia 2 to Disney's long marketing campaigns in China around the release of the original, allowing children to become familiar with the characters and create a buzz for the sequel.
While this success is indeed surprising, it bucked the current trend where US releases are struggling to find an audience in China. In recent years, Chinese cinemagoers have shown a strong preference for domestic productions over Hollywood movies.
Other notable mentions include Disney's own Shanghai Disneyland resort which boasts a Zootopia-themed land and last year partnered with airline China Eastern to create a Zootopia-themed plane, as well as the highly successful Chinese animation Ne Zha 2. The latter earned an astonishing 15.4 billion yuan at the box office, taking home the title of China's highest-grossing film.
Critics caution that while this is a remarkable achievement for foreign productions in China, it should not be seen as an absolute benchmark for domestic cinema, which remains dominant in the country's movie industry.
In a shocking turn of events, Disney's animated sequel Zootopia 2 has taken the top spot as the highest-grossing foreign film in Chinese history, raking in over 2 billion yuan (approximately $213 million USD) in ticket sales within its first week. This milestone marks a significant shift away from declining interest in overseas productions that have historically struggled to find success on the Chinese box office.
The Disney production has had a remarkable track record in China, with its predecessor Zootopia reportedly grossing 1.5 billion yuan upon release back in 2016. The original film held the title of the country's highest-grossing animated Hollywood film at that time. This year's sequel has shattered those records and outperformed other Hollywood releases.
Interestingly, Zootopia 2 performed better in Chinese theaters than its American counterparts, defying expectations from some observers who had previously seen China as a lucrative market for boosting box office sales.
Chinese audiences have praised the film's "feel-good energy" which seems to override other factors such as the economic and geopolitical challenges faced by the country. Critics also attributed the success of Zootopia 2 to Disney's long marketing campaigns in China around the release of the original, allowing children to become familiar with the characters and create a buzz for the sequel.
While this success is indeed surprising, it bucked the current trend where US releases are struggling to find an audience in China. In recent years, Chinese cinemagoers have shown a strong preference for domestic productions over Hollywood movies.
Other notable mentions include Disney's own Shanghai Disneyland resort which boasts a Zootopia-themed land and last year partnered with airline China Eastern to create a Zootopia-themed plane, as well as the highly successful Chinese animation Ne Zha 2. The latter earned an astonishing 15.4 billion yuan at the box office, taking home the title of China's highest-grossing film.
Critics caution that while this is a remarkable achievement for foreign productions in China, it should not be seen as an absolute benchmark for domestic cinema, which remains dominant in the country's movie industry.