'Ne Zha 2' makes history as first non-Hollywood film to surpass 2 billion USD

BEIJING -- Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" has become the first non-Hollywood film to exceed 2 billion US dollars in global earnings, including presales, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan.

The milestone, reached as of Monday afternoon, comes just 33 days after its release on Jan 29 during the Chinese New Year and 13 days after it surpassed Disney's 2024 film "Inside Out 2" to become the highest-grossing animated movie of all time.

This achievement adds to the film's growing list of accolades, including being the first to gross 1 billion US dollars in a single market and the first non-Hollywood title to enter the billion-dollar club.

Directed by Yang Yu, known as Jiaozi, the sequel to the 2019 animated hit "Ne Zha" -- which grossed 5 billion yuan (about 696.91 million US dollars) and topped the Chinese box office that year -- now ranks seventh on the all-time global box office charts, just behind Marvel's 2018 film "Avengers: Infinity War."

The film's unprecedented box office success, with over 98 percent of the revenue generated on the Chinese mainland according to Maoyan data, has redefined the ceiling for single-film earnings in Chinese cinema.

"This success has not only boosted the confidence of creators but also showcased the resilience and immense growth potential of the Chinese market," said Lai Li, a Maoyan analyst.

"Ne Zha 2" continues the tale of the iconic boy god from Chinese mythology, as Nezha and his ally Aobing struggle to rebuild their physical forms and secure their fate with the help of the immortal Taiyi Zhenren.

The film's rich storytelling, jaw-dropping visuals, and universal themes of defiance, fate, and self-confidence have captivated audiences worldwide. Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, praised the film for seamlessly blending traditional Chinese mythology with modern storytelling, creating a narrative that speaks to contemporary sensibilities.

Chen Xuguang, director of the Institute of Film, Television, and Theatre at Peking University, hailed "Ne Zha 2" as "a miracle and a peak in Chinese cinema, a record that may remain unbroken for a long time."

"'Ne Zha 2' has not only boosted the morale and confidence of Chinese filmmakers but also drawn new audiences back to theaters from other entertainment mediums," Chen told Xinhua.

The film's technical mastery is equally staggering, featuring nearly 2,000 special effects shots and contributions from 138 animation studios. This collaborative effort exemplifies the strength of China's creative ecosystem and heralds a new era of aesthetic and industrial standards for the country's film industry, he said.

In North America, "Ne Zha 2" has grossed an estimated 18 million US dollars after three weekends, according to Comscore. Released by CMC Pictures in Mandarin with English subtitles across over 600 theaters, the film has consistently ranked in the top five at the North American box office, becoming the highest-grossing Chinese-language film in the region since 2006.

Sheila Sofian, a professor at the University of Southern California and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, praised the film's production design, sound design, and music, calling it "mind-blowing" and noting its universal appeal, in a video interview shared by China Media Group.

The film's success has also injected much-needed optimism into China's film industry, which saw a 23 percent decline in earnings in 2024 compared to 2023 and a 34 percent drop from its pre-pandemic peak in 2019. Driven by "Ne Zha 2," China's box office revenue hit a record high during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday and has since experienced robust growth.

Dong Wenxin, a film critic and manager of a cinema in Jinan, Shandong Province, told Xinhua that the film's success has been a boon for the industry. "Friends in the business have told me their theaters have already hit 50 percent of their annual box office goals over the first two months of 2025," she said.

Beyond its commercial triumph, "Ne Zha 2" is poised to serve as a cultural bridge, offering global audiences a window into China's rich mythology and traditions. According to Shi Anbin, director of the Israel Epstein Center for Global Media and Communication at Tsinghua University, films like "Ne Zha 2" and video games like "Black Myth: Wukong" are part of a broader cultural renaissance in which ancient tales are reimagined through a modern lens.

In a video interview, Jiaozi reflected on the personal journey the "Ne Zha" films have taken him on, from a passion project to a global phenomenon. "The first step was creating something I loved, and domestic audiences loved it too," he said. "Over time, I've worked to improve it, to refine my craft. I believe that one day, new ideas, deeper meanings and new soul will emerge from it, and the whole world will be able to appreciate it."