Over the recent weekend, the movie Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire reclaimed the number one position at China’s box office, surpassing Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron. Godzilla x Kong earned $7.3 million between Friday and Sunday, even though its earnings dropped by 32% from the previous week.
This resurgence in its fourth week of release brought its total earnings in China to $121 million after 24 days, the highest for any foreign movie in China for 2024.
On the other hand, The Boy and the Heron experienced a 43% drop in earnings in its third weekend, making $6.3 million. Since its release on April 3, it has made a total of $104 million in 19 days. This performance shows that Japanese animated films are popular in China, though not without controversy.
There’s been some negative reaction on Chinese social media towards The Boy and the Heron, mainly because of its World War II themes, which include a Japanese boy whose father works for a munitions company.
This has sparked nationalist criticism in China, reflecting historical tensions. However, it’s not clear if this controversy has directly impacted the movie’s earnings.
Despite this, there’s ongoing interest in Miyazaki’s work in China. A new exhibition featuring Miyazaki’s films and items opened recently in Shanghai, and Howl’s Moving Castle will soon have its first theatrical release in China.
China Box Office: ‘Godzilla x Kong’ Retakes Lead, as ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Passes $100 Million https://t.co/em9sZQZ3BY
— Variety (@Variety) April 22, 2024
Other movies like Viva La Vida and Kung Fu Panda 4 also did well. Viva La Vida earned $2.1 million in its fourth weekend of re-release, reaching a total of $35.9 million. Kung Fu Panda 4 saw only a 20% drop in its fifth weekend, with total earnings of $48 million since its release on March 22.
The newest release, Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning, made $1.4 million on its opening day, ranking fifth for the weekend. This shows that both new and re-released films can attract audiences in China. Source
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