Animated blockbuster 'Ne Zha' to hit US market
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, August 21, 2019
Well Go USA Entertainment announced it will release the Chinese box office hit animated-feature "Ne Zha" exclusively in select IMAX 3D theatres across North America on Aug. 29 following a nationwide expansion on Sept. 6.
The trailer of "Ne Zha" for the U.S. market. [Video courtesy of Well Go USA]
The film had grossed a total of 4.22 billion yuan ($597.16 million) at box offices by Tuesday since its debut on July 26, according to China's major ticketing app Maoyan.
Produced by Beijing Enlight Media and written and directed by first time director Yang Yu, also known as Jiao Zi, "Ne Zha" is currently the highest-grossing animated feature in China's film history with over 100 million tickets sold and various smashed box office records.
"Ne Zha" is the fourth film raking in over 4 billion yuan on the Chinese mainland, behind only "Wolf Warrior 2," "The Wandering Earth" and "Avengers: Endgame." It is on course to pass "Avengers: Endgame" and then "The Wandering Earth" to become China's second-highest-grossing film of all-time by the end of its theatrical run, box office experts estimated.
It is also the highest-grossing non-American animated feature of all-time, the third-highest-grossing Chinese film of all-time, the highest-grossing animated IMAX feature in China, and the second-highest-grossing Chinese language IMAX feature in China.
By siphoning box office revenue from its China release alone, it is currently the 8th-biggest grossing film of 2019, surpassing global totals for Hollywood blockbusters like "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," "Pokémon Detective Pikachu," and "Alita: Battle Angel," according to BoxofficeMojo.com.
Loosely based on the tale of Ne Zha, a beloved Chinese mythological figure, the film made a daring overhaul of Ne Zha's appearance and portrays him more as a mischievous boy than the heroic youngster shown in previous cinematic works.
The young boy, who is born from a heavenly pearl by the Primeval Lord of Heaven, with unique powers, finds himself as an outcast who is hated and feared. Destined by prophecy to bring destruction to the world, the young boy must choose between good and evil in order to break the shackles of fate and become a hero.
Its American distributor, Well Go USA Entertainment, is a theatrical and home entertainment distribution label that specializes in bringing top content, including the best in action, genre and independent films from the U.S. and around the world to North America.
It has released several Chinese films in the past, such as Wilson Yip's "Ip Man 3" and Dante Lam's "Operation Red Sea," which grossed $2.67 million and $1.54 million respectively in the North America. Upcoming Well Go USA Entertainment releases include Zhang Yimou's "Shadow" and Yuen Wo-Ping's "Master Z: Ip Man Legacy."
American audiences are typically attracted by Chinese martial arts genre films. So far, the best performing Chinese film in North America is Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), earning $128 million, followed by Zhang Yimou's "Hero" (2002), grossing $53.71 million in that market.
How an animated feature will fare in the American market remains to be seen. Besides, it has received an extended run permit of one more month until Sept. 26 in Chinese mainland theaters. In addition, the film will open in Australia and New Zealand on Aug. 23 and 29 respectively.
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