China’s summer box office topped 11.96 billion yuan (US$1.68 billion) this year, the China Film Administration (CFA) announced on Monday. The figure represented an almost 3 percent increase on the same period in 2024, according to multiple media outlets.
More than 100 films across genres spanning animation, action, comedy and more were released between June 1 and August 31, attracting 321 million moviegoers nationwide. This was the second highest headcount in the past five years.
The standout performer was Dead to Rights, a historical drama about the 1937 Nanjing Massacre – which grossed 2.89 billion yuan (US$405 million) following its 25 July release. The film follows Nanjing residents who preserved photographic evidence of wartime atrocities.
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Other summer hits included Nobody, a spinoff of the popular Yao-Chinese Folktales animation series; The Shadow’s Edge, a Jackie Chan crime-action film shot in Macao; The Lychee Road, a Tang Dynasty–set drama starring comedian Da Peng; and Jurassic World Rebirth, from Universal.
According to a report from Maoyan Research Institute, cited by Variety, a drop in ticket prices driven by reduced distribution fees and ticket subsidy campaigns helped lift sales. The report noted that local films slightly increased their market share over the summer.
China’s summer release window is traditionally one of its most profitable, with blockbuster premieres driving strong turnout.
