China Focus: China’s National Day box office drops, market craves quality content

by Xinhua writer Zhang Yunlong
BEIJING, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) — China’s box office during the week-long 2024 National Day holiday, which ended Monday, totaled 2.1 billion yuan (about 300 million U.S. dollars), the China Film Administration announced on Tuesday.
The figure falls short of last year’s 2.7 billion yuan haul and remains well below the peak of around 4 billion yuan during the same holiday period from 2019 to 2021, while representing a significant improvement from 1.5 billion yuan in 2022.
Industry experts pointed out that as the world’s second-largest film market, China continues to crave high-quality films that can attract more diverse and discerning audiences, so the market can expand and thrive in the long term.
DATA
According to data from movie ticketing platform Maoyan, the period from Oct. 1 to 7 saw over 52 million moviegoers flock to theaters, with a total of 3.23 million screenings. The holiday saw five films break the 100 million yuan threshold, matching last year’s tally.
Leading the pack was Chen Kaige’s war epic “The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death,” the second installment of Chen’s “The Volunteers” trilogy. The patriotic blockbuster has amassed over 800 million yuan, with projections now reaching a whopping 1.4 billion yuan.
Hot on its heels are the crime drama “Tiger Wolf Rabbit,” featuring Xiao Yang and Feitian Award winner Zhao Liying, and Lu Chuan’s sci-fi offering “Bureau 749.” Both films surpassed the 350 million yuan mark.
In fourth and fifth place were Jackie Chan’s action-comedy “Panda Plan” and the Andy Lau-led disaster film “High Forces,” raking in 215 million yuan and 170 million yuan, respectively. “Panda Plan” has shown particular resilience, bucking the downward trend four times during its run and proving a hit with family audiences.
Maoyan analyst Lai Li noted that while the opening day set a post-Spring Festival record with 494 million yuan, subsequent days saw the steepest decline in six years. This rollercoaster ride resulted in a daily average of just 300 million yuan over the week.
TREND
The diverse audience demographics paint an interesting picture of China’s evolving movie market. Chen Jin, a data analyst at movie data platform Beacon, pointed out that “The Volunteers” saw 21.9 percent of its audience attending in groups of three or more, suggesting a surge in families seeking historical education through cinema.
This trend toward family-oriented content is also evidenced by the success of previous films like “Chang An” and “Never Say Never,” which blend entertainment with cultural and social education. Industry insiders predict a bright future for films catering to family audiences.
In a surprising turn, “Tiger Wolf Rabbit” exceeded expectations, grossing around 340 million yuan in its first week. Exploring the impact of child abduction on parents, the film follows three individuals on a harrowing journey to search for their lost children and seek revenge. This success underscores the enduring appeal of socially relevant and emotionally resonant stories rooted in real-life issues.
Another standout is “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land,” a historical drama blending dance and music to explore the creation of a famous Northern Song Dynasty painting. The film has garnered critical acclaim, outperforming its opening day on its sixth day of release.
GROWTH
Chen Xuguang, director of the Institute of Film, Television and Theatre, Peking University, said the gap between this holiday and the previous years’ highs indicated significant room for growth in China’s film industry.
“While external factors like economic conditions and competition from online entertainment platforms play a role, the film industry must first look inward,” Chen told Xinhua. “Our primary focus must be on improving the quality of our productions.”
In his opinion, some titles for this holiday demonstrated issues with plot coherence and character development. “There’s considerable room for improvement in overall quality.”
As the Chinese film industry grapples with economic challenges and competition from online entertainment, the consensus among analysts is clear: innovation and quality are key. ■