As lull continues, Aamir Khan’s ‘Superstar’ tops RM400 million
BEIJING: The box office in China suffered its quietest weekend in more than a year. With only one new release to enter the chart, Indian drama Secret Superstar once again emerged on top.
The pre-Chinese New Year lull was weaker even than last week’s sluggishness. The combined score for the top 10 films was a lowly US$33.7 million (RM134.8 million). The last time the aggregate was that weak was in September 2016, when there were many fewer cinemas in China than today.
Distributors and cinema owners, however, can expect vastly different results from the upcoming weekend, when a host of broad family entertainment, popular names and Chinese- made franchise titles will compete fiercely for eyeballs – and perhaps cancel out each other.
The market stasis allowed Superstar to hold on to its unlikely victory. It clocked up US$8.61 million for a cumulative of US$109 million after 24 days on release, according to data from Ent Group. Of its four weekends in Chinese cinemas, the Aamir Khan-starring title had enjoyed three as the topselling film. His previous release in China, Dangal, scored more than US$190 million last year, paving the way for audience appreciation of Indian films in China.
Antarctic adventure Till the End of the World added US$6.43 million in its second weekend of release. It has a cumulative of US$28.6 million after 11 days in cinemas.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure earned US$3.49 million. That lifted its cumulative to US$46.2 million after 17 days.
Starry romance Forever Young added US$3.33 million in its fifth weekend. After 31 days, it has a cumulative of US$116 million.
Bona Film Group’s The Greatest Showman added US$2.52 million in its second weekend. Its cumulative is US$13.4 million after 11 days. Happy Death Day scored US$2.18 million in sixth place for a cumulative of US$7.43 million after 10 days.
The weekend’s only new release to enter the top 10 was Miss Puff, a Chinese romantic drama. It scored US$2.07 million.