Spring Festival blockbusters generate US$1 billion at box office

China's weeklong Spring Festival holiday, which lasts from Jan. 21 to 27, has delivered de facto miracles for a number of newly released domestic films. Their total box office receipts surpassed 6.7 billion yuan (US$1 billion) as of Friday, with domestic releases contributing most of the revenue, as data from the country's leading ticketing provider Maoyan shows.

The rising foot traffic at cinemas across China after the country adjusted its COVID-19 measures and policy has sparked a remarkable recovery in the movie sector. During the holiday, over a hundred million moviegoers hit theaters nationwide. In the capital Beijing, the number of screenings in the first six days of the holiday reached 56,000, selling over 3 million tickets.

Chinese director Zhang Yimou's suspenseful costume drama "Man Jiang Hong," or "Full River Red," topped the box office with a haul of over 2.5 billion yuan (US$370 million). As Zhang puts it, the film will make moviegoers laugh out loud at least 30 times. The story revolves around Yue Fei, a general who served during ancient China's Southern Song Dynasty around 900 years ago. Yue was well known at the time for his patriotism and loyalty towards his country.

"The Wandering Earth 2," a science fiction blockbuster, came second at the box office, generating over 2.1 billion yuan (US$ 310 million) so far. It was followed by the animated film "Boonie Bears: Guardian Code," which had racked up earnings in excess of 740 million yuan (US$109 million) as of Friday.

To stimulate consumption, cinemas across the country have adopted measures including discount coupons to bolster audiences, especially during the Spring Festival, a time when families reunite and make special outings to cinemas to see newly screened blockbusters.

（CGTN）