China’s box office tops $2.36 billion as summer season starts

China’s annual box-office revenue has surpassed 16 billion yuan (about $2.36 billion) just as the summer movie season kicks off, with over 60 films of various genres scheduled to hit theaters. Currently, Pegasus 3, Dear You, and Blades of the Guardians stand as the year’s top three hits. Dear You has extended its mainland screening run through June 30 and is set for release in Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei on June 18, with more overseas rollouts expected.

The upcoming summer lineup features a diverse array of major releases. Historical and war dramas include the Chinese film Crossing, which commemorates the upcoming 90th anniversary of the Long March victory by recounting the Red Army’s four crossings of the Chishui River, alongside the British-French-American co-production Pressure, which covers the tense 72 hours preceding the D-Day landings. In science fiction, Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day explores humanity’s reaction to discovering extraterrestrial life. Animation is another major highlight for the season, featuring the documentary Chinese Animation: A Century, the historical conflict film The Three Kingdoms Part 1: The Battle for Luoyang, and the Monkey King legend Da Sheng Rises, alongside highly anticipated international franchise entries Minions & Monsters and Toy Story 5.

Credit – CGTN