The Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 has become the highest-grossing animated film worldwide and the sixth-highest-grossing film overall, and its success shows no signs of stopping.
Per Deadline and Reuters, Ne Zha 2 dethroned the previous record-holder, Inside Out 2, on Feb. 19, with $1.7 billion (¥12.3 billion) in worldwide gross, beating out Inside Out 2‘s $1.699 billion global gross.
A sequel to the similarly successful Ne Zha, Ne Zha 2 is based on Chinese mythology and the 16th century novel The Investiture of the Gods. The original 2019 films centers on the underdog hero Nezha, who must defy his fate as the reincarnation of a demon and save his village.
The sequel takes a similar tone as its predecessor and builds upon its themes, with Nezha journeying to acquire an elixir to restore the body of the dragon prince Ao Bing, while facing off against corrupt gods and demons.
Currently, Ne Zha 2 has earned over $2.06 billion in China, and it is the first time a film has reached that mark in a single market. The film opened to North American theaters on Feb. 14, and has made $18.8 million, per The Hollywood Reporter. While this is minuscule compared to the Chinese total, Ne Zha 2 has done far better than other Chinese blockbusters have done in the West.
Both of the films were directed by Yu Yang aka ‘Jiaozi’, and production company Beijing Enlight hired nearly 4,000 animators to bring the project to life. As mentioned by Variety, the film took five years to complete, and features nearly 2,000 visual effects shots, and a battle scene that reportedly involved 200 million individually animated characters.
On top of Ne Zha 2’s current success, Trinity CineAsia is now planning a European release, with the film being released in 37 European territories including the U.K., France, Germany, Spain and Ireland. It is expected to release in the U.K. and Ireland on March 21.
“Rarely do you get a film that truly defines the era, shows again the unique power of cinema to move audiences, and makes an indelible mark on culture. This is Ne Zha 2,” said Cedric Behrel, Trinity CineAsia’s managing director, to The Hollywood Reporter. “After years spent cultivating the audience and building relationships with exhibitors, press and other stakeholders, as well as our online presence, [Ne Zha 2] is a landmark for Trinity CineAsia in terms of reaching the far corners of the continent and developing our offering to a far larger audience.”
Ne Zha 2 was given an extended run in China, and will stay in theaters there until March 30th. It was also released in Hong Kong in late February. The film is currently the sixth-highest grossing movie of all time, sitting right below Star Wars: The Force Awakens and right above Avengers: Infinity War. It is also the first non-Hollywood production to take a spot on the top 10 box office list.
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