CHINA BOX OFFICE: Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar retained its lead at the top of the China box office last week, grossing $41.45m from 7 million admissions.

Boosted by Nolan’s popularity and local audiences’ love of high-concept movies, the sci-fi blockbuster has grossed a total of $84.59m after just 12 days.

Meanwhile, Penguins Of Madagascar rose to second place in the week November 17-23, according to EntGroup figures, grossing $12.5m for a cume of $24.03m after ten days.

Edko Films’ kungfu biopic Rise Of The Legend came close behind with $12.01m in its first three days, comfortably beating the week’s other big release, David Ayer’s Fury, which took $7.1m for fourth place in the chart.

Media Asia’s Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2, directed by Johnnie To, came in fifth with $6.99m for a cume of $29.94m after 13 days, and was followed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which took $1.7m for a cume of $62.13m in its fourth week.

Rounding out the bottom of the chart, local horror Haunted Road took $1.18m for a cume of $2.42m; China’s Oscar entry The Nightingale grossed $1.1m for a total of $2.50m; The Galaxy On The Earth took $1m (cume $1.10m); and For Love Or Money made a reappearance with $630,000 ($9.96m)