It seems that director Zhang Yimou is having a remarkable year at the Chinese box office. His 26th feature film, crime drama “Under the Light,” has become a blockbuster hit during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday season. According to data from Artisan Gateway, the film opened with an impressive $62.6 million in ticket sales. This success comes on the heels of Zhang’s previous film, the historical mystery thriller “Full River Red,” dominating China’s Lunar New Year release window with a staggering $673 million, making it the country’s highest-grossing film of the year and the sixth-highest of all time. With the current projections from local ticketing app Maoyan, “Under the Light” is expected to earn between $250 million and $300 million before its theatrical run is complete. This would potentially bring Zhang’s total ticket sales for 2023 close to the remarkable $1 billion mark.
However, despite Zhang Yimou’s domination, there was spirited competition during the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend. Huayi Brothers Media’s comedy franchise sequel, “The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan,” secured the second spot with $54.3 million in ticket sales. Meanwhile, Chen Kaige’s propagandistic Korean War epic, “The Volunteers: To the War,” made its debut with a respectable $34.7 million. Additionally, Herman Yau and Andy Lau’s crime action flick “Operation Moscow” opened with $23.2 million, and the sports comedy “Lose to Win,” a remake of a popular Spanish film, brought in $7 million.
Even with the strong local competition, the lone American release in the market, Paramount/Spin Master’s “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” had a comparatively muted start in China. The film opened with a modest $5.3 million in ticket sales. However, the film has received strong social scores, indicating that it may perform well throughout the remainder of the holiday season. Maoyan predicts that “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” could earn close to $15 million, surpassing the $12.8 million brought in by the first “Paw Patrol” film in early 2022.
Further down the charts, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” has been steadily making sales a month after its local release. The film received a 30-day screening extension from local regulators, allowing it to continue its run. As of now, “Oppenheimer” has reached a total of $63.7 million in ticket sales, according to daily data from media firm Entgroup.
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Overall, it’s clear that Zhang Yimou is making a significant impact on the Chinese box office in 2023. With the success of “Under the Light” and “Full River Red,” he continues to solidify his position as one of China’s most revered directors. The competition during the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend demonstrates the diversity of film offerings in the market, showcasing a range of genres from comedy and action to war epics. Even though the American release “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” faced tough competition, its strong social scores suggest that it may have a successful run throughout the holiday season. Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” continues to attract audiences with its captivating story, extending its theatrical run and steadily adding to its box office earnings.
