Alien: Romulus dominates Chinese box office, outshining Detective Conan
Alien: Romulus had a stellar performance in Chinese cinemas over the weekend, securing a strong opening and surpassing the Japanese animation title Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram. This success is noteworthy given the recent struggles of Hollywood films in China.
A triumphant weekend for Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus raked in RMB186 million ($26.2 million) from Friday to Sunday, with a significant portion, $5.02 million, coming from Imax screens. This is a remarkable achievement, especially considering the challenges Hollywood films have faced in China over the past five years. The franchise’s previous installment, Alien Covenant, earned $29.1 million in its opening weekend in 2017, while Prometheus did not have a theatrical release in China.
Watch the trailer for Alien: Romulus
Detective Conan’s rollercoaster weekend
Despite Alien: Romulus‘s success, it faced stiff competition from Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram. On its opening day, Detective Conan outperformed Alien: Romulus, but the positions reversed on Saturday. By Sunday, Detective Conan had slipped to third place. Preliminary data for Monday indicates a rebound, with Detective Conan climbing back to second place.
Detective Conan secured a net second place over the weekend, earning RMB119 million ($16.7 million).
Watch the trailer for Detective Conan: The Million Dollar Pentagram
Go for Broke: A new Chinese crime actioner
Another notable release was Go for Broke (also known as Chong Sheng), which took third place with RMB102 million ($14.3 million) over three days. Directed by Marc Ma, the film tells the gripping story of a man seeking revenge against drug dealers who devastated his family. He collaborates with the police to dismantle a criminal organization.
Watch the trailer for Go for Broke
Successor continues to shine
Successor, a family drama and this summer’s biggest hit in China, added another $8.8 million to its impressive total. Since its release on July 16, Successor has amassed RMB3.13 billion ($441 million).
Watch the trailer for Successor
White Snake: Afloat’s steady performance
The Chinese animation fantasy White Snake: Afloat earned RMB49.5 million ($7 million) in its second weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $41.8 million after nine days. The film had a strong start, earning $19 million in its first two days, coinciding with Chinese Valentine’s Day.
Watch the trailer for White Snake: Afloat
Summer box office trends
Chinese state media have highlighted the robust performance of the summer box office season, with aggregate revenue reaching RMB10 billion ($1.4 billion) from June 1 to August 17. Despite this, the overall year-to-date box office revenue stands at $4.48 billion, a 20.7% decrease compared to the previous year. This decline comes despite a 4.6% increase in the number of cinema complexes, now totaling 12,515.
Hollywood’s summer hits
Two Hollywood films, Despicable Me 4 and Deadpool & Wolverine, have surpassed the $50 million revenue mark in China. Despicable Me 4 has earned $53 million, while Deadpool & Wolverine has garnered $58 million.
Watch the trailer for Despicable Me 4
Watch the trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine
Reflecting on the cinematic landscape
The success of Alien: Romulus and other films highlights the evolving tastes of Chinese audiences. While Hollywood films have faced challenges, the right mix of storytelling, visual effects, and cultural resonance can still captivate viewers. As cinema enthusiasts, it’s fascinating to observe these trends and anticipate future releases that might bridge the gap between Western and Eastern cinematic preferences.
For those passionate about cinema, TV series, and music, these developments offer a rich tapestry of narratives and experiences to explore. Whether it’s the thrill of a sci-fi adventure, the intrigue of a detective story, or the emotional depth of a family drama, there’s something for everyone in the ever-evolving world of entertainment.