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0Who Needs Hollywood? Chinese Animated Film Shatters Box Office Records.
The new king of the Chinese box office is an adorably ugly, demonic child fighting off monsters.
In less than two weeks since its release, “Ne Zha 2,” an animated film based loosely on Chinese mythology and a famous 16th century novel, has become the highest-grossing movie ever in China, with more than $1 billion in ticket sales. It is also the first film not made by a Hollywood studio to cross that mark.
The blockbuster delivered a rare dose of good news for the Chinese film industry, which is struggling with anemic ticket sales and a slumping economy. The few films that break through the malaise are no longer Hollywood titles, but domestic features teeming with patriotic messaging or rooted in traditional Chinese culture or folklore.
In “Ne Zha 2”, Nezha revisits a similar theme. He challenges the political order and authority governing gods and demons, fighting the Dragon King of the Four Seas and other creatures.
“ ‘Ne Zha 2’ is the rare movie that hits all the marks,” said Raymond Zhou, an independent Chinese film critic. “It targets all demographics, and has successfully won over all of them.”
“Chinese culture is constantly moving forward in inheritance and innovation and showing its unique charm,” wrote the Global Times.
Traditional Chinese culture has also inspired breakthroughs in other forms of entertainment. In video games, Black Myth: Wukong, based on a classic 16th century Chinese novel called “Journey to the West,” was an instant hit when it came out last year.
Until “Ne Zha 2,” the top-grossing Chinese films tapped into the country’s deepening nationalistic fervor. The previous No. 1, “The Battle at Lake Changjin,” is a 2021 film about a group of Chinese volunteers who defeated American soldiers during the Korean War. Close behind was “Wolf Warrior 2,” a 2017 action film in which a Chinese former special forces soldier takes on an American villain.
It’s been a tough stretch overall for Chinese films, however. Box office sales fell 23 percent last year, according to the China Film Administration, a government regulator.
The industry has gotten a boost from China’s broader efforts to stimulate consumer spending and reinvigorate a sluggish economy. The government added an extra day to the more than weeklong New Year holiday, giving moviegoers more time to go to the theater. In addition, there were discounts, subsidies and other incentives for movie tickets.
But Mr. Zhou, the film critic, said the incentives did not explain the success of “Ne Zha 2.” He credited the franchise’s popularity to its spin on classic tales and characters, resonating with younger audiences.
As the world’s second-largest movie market, after the United States, Chinese audiences were once a dependable source of ticket sales for Hollywood blockbusters.
That is no longer the case. Last year, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” was the only U.S. movie in the top 10 of China’s box office, ranking ninth. In 2023, no American film cracked the top 10.
Hu Xijin, a former editor in chief of the Global Times, said China’s decision to open up to Hollywood films in the 1990s helped advance the country’s movie industry, but China can now stand on its own.
blockbuster /ˈblɒkˌbʌstər/ n. 大片
例句：This summer's biggest blockbuster broke multiple records. 今年暑期档最火的大片连破多项纪录。
辨析：常指商业上非常成功的电影，近义词hit指任何成功作品。
demographics /ˌdeməˈɡræfɪks/ n. 受众群体
例句：The app analyzes user demographics for targeted advertising. 这个应用会分析用户画像来做精准广告。
记忆：demo（人群）+graphics（图表）→人群特征
subsidy /ˈsʌbsɪdi/ n. 补贴
例句：The government provided subsidies for electric vehicle purchases. 政府给买电动车的人发了购车补贴。
搭配：housing subsidies住房补贴
patriotic /ˌpeɪtriˈɒtɪk/ adj. 爱国的
例句：The film's patriotic theme resonated with audiences. 电影的爱国主题引起观众共鸣。
反义词：unpatriotic 不爱国的
folklore /ˈfəʊklɔːr/ n. 民间传说
例句：This story comes from ancient Chinese folklore. 这个故事源自中国古代民间传说。
词族：folk (n. 民间) + lore (n. 学问)
anemic /əˈniːmɪk/ adj. 疲软的
例句：The company reported anemic sales growth this quarter. 公司这季度销售额增长乏力。
原义：贫血的，引申为"无力的"
reinvigorate /ˌriːɪnˈvɪɡəreɪt/ v. 重振
例句：New policies aim to reinvigorate the tourism industry. 新政策旨在重振旅游业。
构词：re（重新）+invigorate（使活跃）
