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China’s film industry

China’s film industry
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China’s film industry. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A still from Niu Lai, a Chinese micro-budget animated feature by Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang. Met with memes and widespread mockery upon its release on August 5, 2026, the movie has since become a must-see box-office hit that has made millions. Photo: courtesy of Dalian Jingyuan Culture Film and Television Media
Asian cinema: Chinese films

The Chinese Mulholland Drive? Why ‘so bad it’s good’ film Niu Lai is special

Initially mocked, the low-budget film by a first-time animator and his mum is now being hailed as a bastion of hard work and free expression.

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China society

Opinion | Why Chinese film-goers are flocking to a movie they hate

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China consumption

Chinese war comedy tops 1 billion yuan, defying box-office slump

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

How a ‘rough’ and ‘crude’ Chinese cartoon ox went from box office zero to hero

Widely slated on its release, Niu Lai has become the summer’s most surprising smash hit despite competition from The Odyssey and Spider-Man.

Niu Lai has been panned for its “rough” and “crude” animation. Photo: Handout
China economy

Opinion | Why China is seriously cultivating AI entertainment

With rules and support, policymakers appear to be positioning AI and its entertainment nexus as the foundation for a new cultural economy.

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Mainland China

Video | How a Chinese indie film conquered the box office

Lan Hongchun’s story about love, loyalty and immigrant struggles has struck a chord with the overseas Chinese diaspora, topping the box office with US$290 million.

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China economy

‘Distorted views’: why China is clamping down on ‘lowbrow’ micro dramas

China has launched a two-month campaign to clean up its massive micro drama industry, targeting violent, sexual and ‘wealth-flaunting’ content.

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Actors rehearse on the set of a micro drama during filming in central China’s Henan province. Photo: Reuters
ByteDance

ByteDance AI films shake up Cannes as TikTok owner challenges Hollywood norms

A new cinematic tool, Seedance 2.0, can generate feature-length movies for a fraction of traditional costs.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Editorial | Indie hit Dear You shows the power of storytelling over big budgets

The surprise hit, filmed on a shoestring budget and shot entirely in a southern Chinese dialect, has resonated strongly with audiences.

China society

Opinion | A Teochew hit film shows what’s ailing Chinese entertainment

A new box-office surprise is a warning to the industry that visually stunning fare featuring ‘traffic stars’ is not good enough.

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People walk past movie posters at a cinema in Mengzi city, Yunnan province on February 19. Photo: Xinhua
Asian diaspora

How a tiny indie movie sparked a major tourist boom in southern China

Made on a shoestring budget, the hit drama Dear You has triggered a surge of interest in the history of southern China’s Teochew diaspora.

A poster for Dear You, an independent film set in Chaoshan, Guangdong province, which has become an unexpected box office hit in China. Photo: Handout
China consumption

China’s Labour Day box office disappoints despite strong line-up – what happened?

Cold War 1994 and The Devil Wears Prada 2 were tipped to shine in a crowded release window – but many consumers chose to stay away.

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China’s soft power

Why are modern Chinese audiences shying away from dubbed films?

Greater subtitle literacy among streaming viewers is among factors chipping away at enthusiasm for dubbed movies in China.

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China consumption

China’s sci-fi industry rides a tech wave as revenues hit record high

China’s sci-fi industry has built on the success of breakout hits like ‘The Three-Body Problem’, with revenues up over 15 per cent last year.

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Robots perform at the China Science Fiction Convention in Beijing. The Chinese sci-fi industry saw revenues reach a record high last year, according to a report released during the event. Photo: Xinhua
China consumption

Ne Zha 2 hangover? China’s Lunar New Year box office plunges to 6-year low

China’s holiday box office fell nearly 40 per cent year on year as studios failed to find a breakout hit to match last year’s Ne Zha 2.

People line up to enter a cinema in north China’s Tianjin. Photo: Xinhua
China jobs

As jobs dry up, China’s graduates turn to booming ‘micro drama’ industry

The bite-sized series now rival box office hits in popularity – and with that success comes opportunity.

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China consumption

China’s box office up 22% in 2025 to US$7.4 billion, led by smash hit Ne Zha 2

World’s second-largest movie market sees domestic films capture nearly 80 per cent of sales, while Disney’s Zootopia sequel sets new high for imported titles.

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China’s soft power

From Labubu to blockbuster films, was 2025 the year of China’s soft power?

Chinese lifestyle brands and other cultural exports proved to be a hit around the world this year, here are some of our most notable stories.

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China's economic recovery

Why China’s film industry is banking on Zootopia 2 being a smash hit

After a tough few months, Chinese cinemas are hoping that a string of imported animated releases can offer some relief.

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US-China relations

Ne Zha-Transformers collaboration set to air as US-China frictions ease

Long-awaited shared animated universe of ‘My Ne Zha and Transformers’ seen as fresh symbol of cooperation between the nations.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Letters | Jackson Yee sets benchmark for young actors with Best Actor win

Readers laud the Chinese actor’s dedication to his craft and warn of a crisis of the mind in the age of AI.

Jackson Yee, 24, has become the youngest Golden Rooster Best Actor winner. Photo: Handout
China's space programme

How China’s space station became a film frontier – and Liu Cixin’s inspiration

Documentary shot during the Shenzhou 13 mission is capturing imaginations while bridging sci-fi and reality.

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The documentary Shenzhou 13, released earlier this month, follows the mission’s three-member crew for six months aboard the Chinese space station. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s National Day fireworks to feature Ne Zha, National Games themes

But drone show expected to precede display will be dropped over weather concerns, organiser says.

Asian cinema: Chinese films

More Chinese went to cinemas this summer, but filmmakers still face challenges

Season’s box office takings total 11.96 billion yuan, up 2.76 per cent year on year but well down on record set in 2023.

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China consumption

Surprising many, Nobody becomes China’s top 2D animated film at the box office

Based on an animated series, Shanghai Animation Film Studio’s newest movie has dethroned Japan’s most successful animated showings in China.

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Animated movie Nobody has taken China by storm. Image: Shanghai Animation Film
Chinese culture

China launches plan to improve TV and mini-dramas amid soft power push

Beijing calls for more micro-dramas, documentaries, animations and foreign programmes, along with better copyright protections.

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People attend a screening of Ne Zha 2 in Beijing on February 16. State media have touted the animated film, calling it an important step in improving China’s soft power. Photo: Xinhua
China exports

Chinese ‘vertical dramas’ are booming in America. Should Hollywood be worried?

Chinese platforms hosting bite-size soap operas about werewolves and mafia dons are drawing big audiences – and shaking up the streaming market.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Chinese netizens riled over delay of 731, film on Japan’s human experiments

Weibo users are unhappy that the film about Unit 731’s wartime human experiments on Chinese citizens has been pushed back.

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