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Frozen II beat its predecessor in China in one weekend
Some Chinese viewers complain of a weak story and too much singing, but it’s still the biggest opening for an animated Disney film
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
Frozen II is already a hit in China, taking in more than US$53 million in its opening weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. That’s more than the original film made in its entire run nearly six years ago.
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Globally, the first Frozen was the highest-grossing animated film since its release in 2013 until it was dethroned this year by Disney’s own CGI remake of The Lion King. But in China, Frozen made only US$48.2 million. This is in contrast to Disney’s Zootopia, which earned more than US$236 million in China and is the country’s highest grossing foreign animated film -- it was beat out by China’s own Nezha this year.
Some Chinese media attributed the lukewarm reaction to the original Frozen to a lack of marketing and a February 2014 release date that clashed with other Chinese New Year films. But Frozen’s music has also been a hit in China much like everywhere else. And while people seem to like the music in Frozen II well enough, the film’s plot has taken a beating on social media.
“I’ll say that the visuals and Elsa’s new look are suffocatingly beautiful, and the songs are fine, but the story is like it’s written by feet -- lazy and unenterprising,” wrote one user on Douban, China’s biggest movie review site. The comment drew more than 900 likes.
How Douban went from China’s IMDB to its ‘spiritual corner’
This isn’t too far off from what professional critics are saying, many of whom praised the animation and music but criticized the lack of a villain. But it’s still Disney’s biggest opening for an animated film in China. By Monday, Frozen II had grossed an estimated 398 million yuan (US$56.6 million) in China, according to data from entertainment industry consultancy EngGroup.
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