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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.
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
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.

China's economic recovery

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

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US-China relations

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

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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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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.

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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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People watch a film at a cinema in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, on August 17. Photo: Xinhua
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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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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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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illustration by Brian Wang
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.

A poster for the wartime atrocity film 731. Its preview, originally scheduled for July 31, has been cancelled, with the film’s release date pushed back to “2025”. Photo: Weibo/ heiguangzhaxian
China economy

Opinion | Global hit Labubu was forged in the heat of China’s demanding market

In China’s demanding market that’s shifting towards emotionally driven spending, creative brands that succeed can look to conquer the world.

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China consumption

China’s film distributors pledge more imports to diversify market

As domestic releases dominate China’s box office, distributors have renewed calls for overseas titles to keep market fluid.

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China consumption

Mission: Impossible? China faces box office blues during Dragon Boat Festival

Film ticket sales estimated to decline compared to previous holiday – but analysts say long-term trends remain positive.

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(250504) -- BINZHOU, May 4, 2025 (Xinhua) -- People walk past movie posters at a cinema in Boxing County of Binzhou City, east China’s Shandong Province, May 3, 2025. People across China enjoy the ongoing May Day holiday in various ways. (Photo by Chen Bin/Xinhua)
US-China trade war

Hollywood faces defining moment in China as Disney prepares new releases

Beijing appears to be holding off on a drastic curb of American film imports – for now, at least – as US-China tensions simmer, analysts said.

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Hollywood has struggled to compete with domestic productions such as “Ne Zha 2” in China over the past few years. Photo: Xinhua
China consumption

China’s sci-fi industry shoots for stars as Beijing pushes ‘quality’ growth

With successes like The Three-Body Problem, the genre has never been more popular – and authorities have taken note.

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Profile

Jason Li, from martial arts to Hollywood stunt double and daredevil

The professional movie stunt double talks about ‘tricking’, his early Hollywood breaks and taking risks in an inconsistent industry.

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China consumption

China’s hottest new show is a Sichuan-dialect micro drama set in the 1980s

My Sweet Home has achieved phenomenal success by moving beyond the trashy tropes of China’s booming micro drama industry.

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The micro drama My Sweet Home has become a viral sensation in China, attracting over 1 billion views in just a few days. Photo: Weibo
Hong Kong society

Ne Zha 2 inspires John Lee to ‘overcome obstacles, forge path’ for Hong Kong

Hong Kong leader reveals on social media he and his wife have watched record-breaking animated film.

Asian cinema: Chinese films

China’s Ne Zha 2 still flying high as highest-grossing animated movie of all time

Gone are the days when Chinese filmmakers were left scrambling to recreate the economic success of foreign offerings such as Kung Fu Panda.

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Shenzhen

Opinion | What Hong Kong can take away from Ne Zha 2’s creative success

The city must achieve deeper creative integration. Ways must be found to bring Chinese, including Hong Kong, content to the world.

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People watch Ne Zha 2 in 4D at a cinema in Beijing on February 16. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong society

Mainland China’s Ne Zha 2 earns HK$5.6 million on first day in Hong Kong

Animated feature draws more than 64,000 viewers as families and patriotic groups help sell out showings.

A poster for Ne Zha 2 at a cinema in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Eugene Lee
Chinese culture

Opinion | At last, Chinese folklore adds new flavour to global pop culture

Drawing on ancient myths, China’s film and gaming industry is offering the world refreshing alternatives to the traditional Western canon.

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Hong Kong society

Mainland China’s record-breaking Ne Zha 2 to hit cinemas in Hong Kong, Macau

Animated tale from Chinese mythology has broken box office records on mainland, earning 9.7 billion yuan.

China's economic recovery

Quiet on set: China’s film industry fights for relevance as admissions flag

With lower ticket sales and fierce competition from online entertainment, China’s film industry faces demotion in cultural status.

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China’s cinemas saw diminished attendance numbers in 2024 in an increasingly saturated entertainment market. Photo: Shutterstock
Golden week

China’s National Day box office breaches billion-yuan mark on day 3

The second entry in a historical war trilogy leads the way, with a sci-fi action film on its tail, but China’s film industry is still chasing pre-pandemic interest.

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The family-friendly comedy Panda Plan, starring Jackie Chan, is currently among the top-10 movies in China. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
TV shows and streaming video

Plot twists, revenge, cheating. The rise of Chinese micro dramas

China’s US$5 billion micro drama industry is booming, but its sometimes ‘pornographic’ and ‘vulgar’ content has the government concerned.

China’s Communist Party

China regulator says short films must follow the script for overseas screenings

Producers of all movies made in China must now follow existing approval rules if filmmakers wish to show their works abroad.

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