‘Wolf Warrior 2’ ranks among top 100 films worldwide
BEIJING: It has not only shattered China's box- office record, but blockbuster ‘ Wolf Warrior 2' has also become the first non-Hollywood film to break into the top 100 all-time grossing movies worldwide.
The film last week became China's all-time top earner less than two weeks after its release.
The strength of those domestic receipts has now propelled the film onto industry monitor Box Office Mojo's all-time 100 list, where on Wednesday it knocked 1994's ‘Forrest Gump' from the No 100 spot.
Box Office Mojo said ‘ Wolf Warriors 2' had grossed US$ 682.1 million worldwide, nearly all of it in Chinese cinemas.
But it looked likely to climb still further up the list - latest figures from the official China Movie Data Information Network said ‘Wolf' had already raked in 4.75 billion yuan ( US$ 710 million) in domestic sales as of Wednesday.
That would put it nearly another 10 places higher on Box Office Mojo's list, in the company of ‘ The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1', and ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'.
With special effects, ‘ Wolf's stunts and explosions is worthy of Hollywood.
It is an explosive yarn about a special Chinese Forces agent Leng Feng ( Wu Jing) caught in the middle of an African revolution and rescueing compatriots and downtrodden locals from rebels and bloodthirsty mercenaries.
The movie is directed by martial arts expert Wu Jing, who also plays the lead role of Leng Feng, and a cliffhanger ending sets the stage for a third instalment and another likely windfall.
Wu said in an interview published Tuesday: “I've only taken a match and lit up people's patriotism with a spark.”
‘Wolf Warriors 2' will have work to do to climb up to the top ranks of the list, which is headed by ‘Avatar' ( 2009) at US$ 2.7 billion, followed by ‘ Titanic'(1997) and ‘Star Wars: the Force Awakens' (2015).