10 highest-grossing films in China in 2018

By Zhang Rui: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, January 14, 2019

4. Hello Mr. Billionaire

In a summer longing for a comedy, "Hello Mr. Billionaire" came right on cue. The film, directed by Yan Fei and Peng Damo, collected a stunning haul of 2.55 billion yuan (US$372.83 million) solely in the mainland market and became the 7th highest-grossing film of all time in China. The great statistics indicated the audience's continued faith in Mahua FunAge, a leading theatrical comedy troupe that has staged over 1,200 performances of 15 plays and two musicals throughout China since 2003. In recent years, it has begun producing films based on their comedy stage shows and has become a towering comedy brand in the Chinese film industry. However, this film is not adapted from any of Mahua FunAge's renowned stage plays; rather, it is based on the novel "Brewster's Millions" written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902. The novel, or its same-titled Broadway play, has been adapted into films 12 times before becoming Yan and Peng's second comedy production outing after their dark horse success of "Goodbye Mr. Loser" in 2015. As for reception for "Hello Mr. Billionaire," critics and audiences' ratings are far more mixed than those for other previous Mahua FunAge productions: Detractors abhor the "vulgarities" and "low taste" of the "nouveau riche" showcased in the film while the supporters consider it just fun and satire. Mahua FunAge's brand was further tainted and provided warning signals for "Hello, Mrs. Money," another comedy about money coming out later in September 2018, and it failed both box office and the word-of-mouth.

Release date in China:July 27, 2018 (Starry Entertainment, Slinky Town Pictures, Fun Age Pictures, etc.)

China gross:2.55 billion yuan (US$372.83 million)

Worldwide:US$372.83 million