Many Chinese people chose to celebrate the first day of the Year of the Snake on Wednesday by watching films, propelling the box office to record sales.
As of 4:23 p.m. on Wednesday, China’s box office revenue during the Spring Festival holiday, including pre-sold tickets, had exceeded 2 billion yuan (over $276 million), according to box office tracker Dengta Data.
Six films are slated to be released during the holiday: “The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero,” “Ne Zha 2,” “Detective Chinatown 1900,” “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force,” “Operation Hadal” and “Boonie Bears: Future Reborn.” The first four of these films each exceeded 200 million yuan in pre-sale ticket sales, making it the most successful pre-sale period in history.
The six films offer a diverse range of genres and themes, catering to a wide array of audience preferences. Compared to last year’s Spring Festival lineup, which was dominated by comedies and dramas, this year’s selection includes mythology, epic tales, war stories, action-packed adventures, martial arts, animation, comedy and science fiction. This rich variety ensures that there is something for everyone and moviegoers are excited.
A resident in east China’s Dongying City surnamed Li shared his excitement with China Media Group (CMG). “There are so many great films this year. Whether it’s ‘Detective Chinatown 1900,’ ‘Ne Zha 2,’ or ‘The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero,’ they all celebrate traditional Chinese culture,” Li said.
Noting “Detective Chinatown 1900” was even filmed in his home province of Shandong, Li said he bought tickets for his family to watch it on the first day of the Year of the Snake.
This year’s Spring Festival season is also notable for its abundance of special effects-heavy blockbusters, boasting the highest “special effects quotient” in the history of the holiday film season.
Additionally, many theaters have upgraded their facilities and expanded their services to provide audiences with a more convenient and high-quality viewing experience.
To further enhance the movie-going experience, cinemas across the country have rolled out a variety of promotional activities.
Huang Qianyu, a manager at a cinema in Yichun City, east China’s Jiangxi Province, told CMG, “To improve the quality of the viewing experience, the cinema has introduced a new 20-meter-wide transparent LED screen, offering audiences a brand-new way to enjoy films.”
Huang added the cinema has also launched online discount packages to help moviegoers make the most of the Spring Festival film season.
With such a strong lineup and enhanced viewing experiences, the 2025 Spring Festival film season is off to a record-breaking start, promising to be a memorable celebration of Chinese cinema.