China’s summer blockbuster season has kicked off with a bang as the mystery thriller film, “Lost in the Stars,” has made an impressive debut. Produced by As One Productions, the film earned $98.3 million over the four-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday weekend, according to data from regional box office consultancy Artisan Gateway. When including advance ticket sales for Monday, “Lost in the Stars” has easily crossed the $100 million mark.
Following closely behind in second place is the romantic drama “Love Never Ends,” produced by Lian Ray Pictures. The film opened one day earlier than “Lost in the Stars” and earned $23.7 million over a five-day period.
“Lost in the Stars,” co-written by Chen Sicheng, the acclaimed writer-director behind the successful “Detective Chinatown” franchise, is projected by ticketing app Maoyan to eventually earn over $400 million. The film is co-directed by Rui Cui and Xiang Liu and stars Zhu Yilong as a man whose wife mysteriously disappears while they are on vacation to celebrate their anniversary. When she suddenly reappears, the man insists that the woman in front of him, although bearing a striking resemblance to his wife, is not actually her. The plot thickens as an attorney (played by actress Ni Ni) gets involved in the bizarre case, unearthing more mysteries along the way.
On the other hand, “Love Never Ends” is a heartwarming romance about elder love, featuring veteran actors Ni Dahong, Kara Wai, Tony Leung, and Ye Tong. The film premiered earlier this month at the Shanghai International Film Festival, where it received warm reviews from critics and audiences alike.
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While domestic productions dominated the top spots in China’s box office charts during the holiday, Hollywood holdovers managed to secure a couple of positions. Paramount’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” came in third with $8.3 million over the weekend, bringing its total earnings to $79 million after three weekends. Fourth place went to “Never Say Never,” a Chinese drama directed by and starring Wang Baoqiang, which earned $9.4 million from a series of preview screenings. The film, highly anticipated by the audience, is set to officially open on July 6. Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ DC superhero film, “The Flash,” fell behind with $3.4 million, accumulating a total of $23.7 million.
Looking ahead, the next major release in China will be “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” on June 30. Analysts are cautious about the film’s performance in China, as the Indiana Jones franchise does not have the same nostalgic appeal in the country as it does in the West.
Overall, China’s box office is off to a strong start this summer, with “Lost in the Stars” leading the way. The film’s success is a testament to the growing popularity of Chinese cinema, both domestically and globally. With a diverse range of films capturing the attention of audiences, industry experts are optimistic about the future of the Chinese film industry and its potential to become a major player in the global entertainment market.
