The record-breaking "Ne Zha 2" has now officially become the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

A new poster to mark "Ne Zha 2" becoming the No. 1 animated film of all time. [Image courtesy of CMC Pictures]

By Wednesday noon, the unstoppable Chinese animated sensation had grossed 12.42 billion yuan ($1.71 billion) worldwide according to Chinese box office tracker Maoyan Pro. This surpasses Disney and Pixar's "Inside Out 2," which claimed the top spot in animation history in 2024 by grossing $1.69 billion, per Box Office Mojo statistics. 

As a result, "Ne Zha 2" has become the highest-grossing animated film globally and the eighth-highest-grossing film of all time, regardless of animation or live-action. Notably, it stands as the only Chinese or Asian film in a club dominated by Hollywood cinematic juggernauts.

This is just one of many impressive milestones the film has achieved since its debut on Jan. 29, the first day of the Chinese New Year. Its accomplishments include becoming the highest-grossing Chinese film ever, the highest-grossing film in a single market globally, the first film to surpass $1 billion in a single market, and the first non-Hollywood film to enter the coveted billion-dollar club. 

"Thanks to the support of countless audiences, we have been able to achieve these miraculous accomplishments," said Wang Jing, executive producer of "Ne Zha 2," during an event promoting movie-themed tourism on Feb. 17 at the China National Film Museum in Beijing. "Rooted in Chinese culture, 'Ne Zha 2' reflects the spirit of constant innovation and striving to move upward, embodied by Chinese animators, filmmakers and audiences, showcasing the brilliance of Chinese culture to the world."

"Congratulations to director Jiaozi and all Chinese animators," said fellow animator Wang Yunfei, president of Its Cartoon Animation Studio. "Animation is an art form that creates new worlds and new life, which is why I still love it after 25 years in the industry." Wang told China.org.cn that he hopes Chinese animators will embrace the belief that the journey itself is invaluable at this historic moment. "If you do not climb high mountains, you will not know how high the sky is. Keep your passion alive and continue forging ahead," he said.

A still from "Ne Zha 2." [Image courtesy of Enlight Media]

"Ne Zha 2" was developed over five years with a 4,000-strong team, featuring new characters, epic battle sequences and 1,900 special effects shots. In the film's climactic battle, there are 200 million characters, showcasing wild imagination, a visual feast and immense workloads. The film involved the combined efforts of 138 Chinese animation and VFX companies, including teams that worked on previous animated hits and sci-fi blockbusters such as "Monkey King: Hero Is Back," "Boonie Bears," "Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification" and "The Wandering Earth."

On social media, many animators who worked on the movie have expressed their excitement and happiness about joining the project, while a few also shared how exhausting the creative process was and how much of a perfectionist director Jiaozi is, challenging them to push their limits. Chen Xuguang, director of the Institute of Film, Television and Theatre at Peking University, noted that the film showcases the collaborative power of China's creative ecosystem and signals an upgrade in both the film industry and its aesthetic standards.

Wang Shiyong, founder and CEO of Wuhan-based 2:10 Animation, and his team contributed to many visually spectacular scenes in "Ne Zha 2." He expressed pride in the film's achievements and emphasized its significance to the Chinese animation industry. "The film's outstanding box office performance will attract more investment and talent to the animation industry, injecting strong vitality into its development," he said.

As this world-class film climbs the global top 10 box office chart, its achievements have already stunned both domestic and international audiences, as well as industry insiders, showcasing the prowess and potential of Chinese cinema, culture and its market. Maoyan Pro analysts have now revised their projection for its total earnings to 15.1 billion yuan, which would be enough to place the film at No. 5 on the all-time global box office chart.

The film drew significant international attention and interest after it opened overseas last week in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. The film earned $7.2 million in North America from Feb. 14 through Sunday, setting a record for the highest opening weekend for any Chinese-language film in the past 20 years. Despite showing in only 660 theaters, it ranked No. 5 on the weekend chart, competing with Marvel's "Captain America: Brave New World" which was shown in more than 4,000 theaters. In Australia, it secured third place with $1.5 million over the weekend.

A new international poster to mark "Ne Zha 2." [Image courtesy of Enlight Media]

Both overseas critics and audiences have expressed their enjoyment of the movie. For example, critic Simon Abrams from RogerEbert.com wrote that "Ne Zha 2" is a "rare sequel that amplifies both its action and drama" without sacrificing much of what worked in the first movie, adding: "It's also a rare blockbuster that offers something worthwhile for a wide-ranging audience." Another critic, Fred Topel from Deadline.com, called the Chinese blockbuster "visually engaging," noting that, "The rendering of martial arts battles is as graceful as DreamWorks Animation's 'Kung Fu Panda' series. The myriad creatures should appeal to international fans of fantasy epics like 'Game of Thrones' and 'The Lord of the Rings.'" On Rotten Tomatoes, its audience score has reached 99%, and on IMDb, it has also received an impressive 8.4/10 based on more than 4,300 user ratings.

Distributors announced on Tuesday that the film will be released in China's Hong Kong and Macao on Feb. 22, with plans to roll out in various international territories later this year, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Greece.

Additionally, "Ne Zha 2" is generating a ripple effect beyond movie theaters, showcasing how its positive influence extends to culture, tourism, catering, merchandise and stock markets, further boosting China's vibrant consumption and dynamic economy.

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