The Boy and the Heron, a Japanese animated movie directed by Miyazaki Hayao, has made a big splash in China, quickly becoming the most-watched movie in theaters. This fantasy-adventure film took over half of the total movie earnings in the country on its first two days of release, Wednesday and Thursday.
On its debut day, the film earned $13.8 million, and by Thursday evening, its total earnings had jumped to about $35.2 million. Unlike most movies which premiere on Fridays, this one was released on a Wednesday to align with the Qingming public holiday, a time when families in China often come together and also visit the graves of their ancestors. Alongside The Boy and the Heron, three other movies were released, taking advantage of the holiday period.
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which had the biggest opening for a Hollywood movie in China earlier in the year, was outperformed by “The Boy and the Heron” and fell to second place. By Thursday, “The Boy and the Heron” had made more than $22 million in one day, while “Godzilla x Kong” made $11 million on its seventh day. Although “Godzilla x Kong” has earned over $66 million in total in China, the early success of “The Boy and the Heron” suggests it could become a major market for the film, following Japan and North America.
“The Boy and the Heron” did exceptionally well in its home market of Japan and also had successful releases in North America, South Korea, France, and the U.K. Its performance in China adds to the growing popularity of Japanese animated films in the country, contrasting with the struggles Hollywood movies have faced there since 2020.
China Box Office: ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Flies Past ‘Godzilla x Kong’ in $35 Million Midweek Holiday Debut https://t.co/t38DB43IJV
— Variety (@Variety) April 4, 2024
Overall, China’s movie market is currently outperforming North America’s by 50%, with total earnings of $2.32 billion compared to North America’s $1.47 billion. This shows a significant interest and investment in the movie-going experience in China. Source
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