China’s summer box-office boom driven by homegrown hits

A diverse slate of successful domestic blockbusters and falling ticket prices are driving millions of moviegoers to Chinese cinemas, pushing total 2026 box-office revenue past 26 billion yuan ($3.85 billion). The summer season alone has contributed over 10.2 billion yuan, led by breakout hits such as the comedy Kung Fu Soccer (2.3 billion yuan) and the standout anti-war drama Once Upon a Time in the Middle East, which grossed 1 billion yuan within eight days of release. Combined with major year-round contributions from titles like Pegasus 3 (4.4 billion yuan), strong audience reception for homegrown storytelling remains the primary catalyst behind the country’s theatrical boom.

Credit : CGTN