China’s box office increased by 25% to reach $2.23bn (RMB13.74bn) in the first half of 2014, according to official figures from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRT).

Foreign productions accounted for 52% of the total with a combined gross of $1.15bn (RMB7.1bn), boosted by recent Hollywood releases such as Transformers: Age Of Extinction, X-Men: Days Of Future Past and Captain America: The Winter Solider.

Soi Cheang’s 3D fantasy adventure The Monkey King was the top-grossing local film in the first half of 2014 (Jan 1 to June 30), and the highest-grossing film overall in this six month time frame with $169.5m.

Still on release, Transformers: Age Of Extinction is expected to boost year-end totals. Released on June 27, the film has so far grossed $280m in China. Big local productions scheduled for release before the end of the year include Jiang Wen’s Gone With The Bullets, Tsui Hark’s The Taking Of Tiger Mountain and Peter Ho-sun Chan’s Dearest.

CHINA TOP TEN LOCAL FILMS (Jan-June 2014)

  1. The Monkey King - $169.5m (RMB1.05bn)
  2. Where Are We Going, Dad? - $112.8m (RMB696m)
  3. From Vegas to Macau - $85m (RMB525m)
  4. My Old Classmate - $73.9m (RMB456m)
  5. Beijing Love Story - $65.8m (RMB406m)
  6. Overheard 3 - $50.1m (RMB309m)
  7. Coming Home -  $47.3m (RMB292m)
  8. The Great Hypnotist - $44.4m  (RMB274m)
  9. Boonie Bears: To The Rescue - $40.1m (RMB248m)
  10. The Breakup Guru - $30.8m (RMB190m)*

*Still on release

CHINA TOP TEN FOREIGN FILMS (Jan-June 2014)

  1. Transformers: Age Of Extinction - $122.3m (RMB754m)*
  2. X-Men: Days Of Future Past - $117.4m (RMB724m)
  3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - $116.8m (RMB721m)
  4. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - $95.7m (RMB590m)
  5. Godzilla - $77.6m (RMB479m)*
  6. The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug - $75.1m (RMB464m)
  7. Need For Speed - $66.8m (RMB412m)
  8. Edge Of Tomorrow - $65.8m (RMB406m)
  9. Despicable Me 2 - $52.6m (RMB324m)
  10. RoboCop - $51.1m (RMB315m)

*Still on release

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