The animated sequel “Ne Zha 2” has taken the box office by storm, debuting at an impressive $7.2 million across 660 screens in North America. The film, produced by CMC Pictures and directed by Yang Yu, continues the adventures of Demon Orb Ne Zha and Spirit Orb Aobing as they share a body for seven days to battle dragons and save their hometown. In China, “Ne Zha 2” has shattered records, grossing over $1.5 billion and becoming the second-biggest animated film in global box office history, behind only “Inside Out 2”.
The film has also set new records for Imax, contributing $22 million to the company’s weekend total in China and reaching $104 million in Imax earnings through Sunday. Other notable performances at the specialty box office include the documentary “Becoming Led Zeppelin”, which grossed $1.8 million in its second week, and the Oscar contender “A Complete Unknown”, which crossed the $70 million mark. IFC Films’ “I’m Still Here” and Sideshow/Janus Films’ animated feature also showed steady progress.
Ne Zha 2 global success
The strong performance of “Ne Zha 2” highlights the appeal of international animated films in the North American market and contributes significantly to a competitive box office landscape. The film’s plot revolves around the souls of Ne Zha and Aobing being saved after a major catastrophe, with Taiyi Zhenren using the seven-colored lotus to restore their forms.
As “Ne Zha 2” continues its theatrical run, it is poised to overtake “The Lion King” and enter the top 10 highest grossers of all time. The film’s global rollout is just beginning, and it is set to continue climbing the all-time chart. China’s box office has thrived post-Lunar New Year, with the weekend’s total box office reaching $327.9 million and bringing the country’s 2025 cumulative gross to $2.77 billion, a 95.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
The Lunar New Year slate has also set a new Imax record, with total earnings reaching $121 million through Sunday. With no signs of slowing down, the continued dominance of “Ne Zha 2” is keeping the momentum strong as China’s theatrical market enjoys one of its most successful starts to a year.
