‘Wolf Warriors II’ ahead of record by RM645 million
BEIJING: Current blockbuster Wolf Warriors II has sprinted ahead of the previous box office record by RM645 million.
After 18 days, it has accumulated a record US$683 million (RM2.94 billion) in China, according to data from Ent Group. That is about US$150 million (RM645 million) more than the previous record-holder, last year’s The Mermaid.
Even in its third week, Wolf Warriors II remains the runaway leader. It continued to enjoy an average of 100,000 screenings per day, accounting for more than 50 per cent of the total weekend box office.
China’s blackout period, during which no major foreign movies can be released in cinemas in the country, has continued. That allowed a clutch of new local titles to get wide releases.
New release Guilty of Mind, a suspense-action film, played on close to 60,000 screenings per day. It took US$24.6 million in its first three days. Another new release making a splash, Andy Lau-starring The Adventures, was third. It played an average of 50,000 screenings per days and earned US$22.2 million.
New fantasy actioner Legend of the Naga Pearls was fourth over the weekend, earning US$13.5 million from an average 40,000 screenings per day.
BBC documentary Earth: One Amazing Day also received a cinematic release. Voiced by Jackie Chan, it took fifth place with US$1.54 million. Playing only 4,000 screenings per day, per screen averages were as healthy as the wide-release market leaders.
In lower positions were a mixed group of films in preview and holdovers. Costume romance Once Upon a Time, starring Liu Yifei, managed sixth place, earning US$1.33 million.
Chinese animation franchise movie Seer 6: Invincible Puni claimed US$1.27 million in two days of limited previews. Propaganda film The Founding of an Army took eighth place, earning US$1.15 million for an 18-day total of US$56.1 million.
Despicable Me 3 earned US$690,000, extending its cumulative to US$154 million after 38 days on release.
Even in its third week,‘ Wolf Warriors II’ remains the runaway leader. It continued to enjoy an average of 100,000 screenings per day, accounting for more than 50 per cent of the total weekend box office.