China blockbuster in top 100 grossing films of all time

FRESH from shattering China’s box-office record, patriotic blockbuster Wolf Warriors 2 ( right) has claimed another slice of history by becoming the first nonHollywood film to break into the top 100 all-time grossing movies worldwide.

The flag-waving action movie’s plotline of Chinese soldiers saving war-ravaged Africans from western baddies has resonated in an increasingly self-assured China, and the film last week became the country’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 it knocked 1994’s Forrest Gump from the No.100 spot.

Box Office Mojo said Wolf Warriors 2 had grossed US$682.1 million (RM2.9 billion) worldwide, nearly all of it in Chinese cinemas.

But it looked likely to climb still further up the list.

Latest figures from the China Movie Data Information Network said Wolf had raked in 4.75 billion yuan (RM3.06 billion) in domestic sales as of last Wednesday.

That would put it 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, stunts and explosions worthy of Hollywood, Wolf boasts the ominous tagline “whoever offends China will be hunted down no matter how far away they are”.

The movie is directed by martial arts expert Wu Jing, who also plays the lead role of Leng Feng, and a cliff-hanger ending sets the stage for a third instalment and another likely windfall.

Wolf is riding a wave of patriotic fervour whipped up by the ruling Communist Party. This summer has also seen the release of the film The Founding of an Army, which chronicles the origins of the People’s Liberation Army.

Cinemas across China have been ordered since July 1 to show short clips promoting ‘core socialist values’ and President Xi Jinping’s ‘Chinese dream’ political credo before each film.

Wu said in a recent interview: “I’ve only taken a match and lit up people’s patriotism with a spark.” – AFP-Relaxnews