Chinese box office grew 80% in first half of year

With Hollywood blockbusters such as Iron Man 2, Clash of the Titans and Price of Persia: The Sands of Time standing out at mainland China box office, China’s box office gross from April to June reached $242.65m (RMB1.65bn).  Adding the revenue from Jan to March, the first half of year box office gross of 2010 in China reaches $676.47m (RMB4.6bn).  The figure is an 80% increase on the first half of year total of 2009, according to figures combined from State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) and Screen’s in-house box office research.

The second quarter (from April to June) sees Hollywood blockbusters outdid local films in Chinese film market.  Paramount’s Iron Man 2 was released in May and grossed $25m (RMB170m), standing 4th place in the first half of year chart.  Warner’s Clash of the Titans was released in China in mid April and raked in $24.56m (RMB167m).  Disney’s Prince of Persia, released at the end of May, made $22.79m (RMB155m).

DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon, although only released in 3D cinemas in China, in less than 1000 screens, received a pleasing result with around $13.97m (RMB95m).

Plus James Cameron’s Avatar with $198.53m (RMB1.35 billion) and Alice in Wonderland with $32.35m (RMB220m), there are five foreign films on the top 10 chart of the first six month.  In total, foreign films made around $398m (RMB2.71bn), taking 59% of the total first half of year gross, while local-language films took in around $278m (RMB1.89m) and 41% of the total.

Wilson Yip’s Ip Man 2 was the highest-grossing Chinese film during the quarter between April and June, with $33.82m (RMB230m).  Romantic comedy Go Lala Go comes second during the quarter with $19.41m (RMB132m). 

Looking ahead in summer season, Toy Story 3 and The Karate Kid are receiving good opening weekend gross currently in mainland China.  Meanwhile, Green Zone, The Green Hornet, Shrek Forever After, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Sex and the City 2 are waiting for their screening permit and release dates for China release.  These Hollywood blockbusters will go head-to-head with local blockbusters such as Feng Xiaogang’s Aftershock, Benny Chan’s action drama City Under Siege and Tsui Hark’s Andy Lau starring Detective D.

Top 10 films in China: January to June 2010

1. Avatar –$198.53m (RMB1.35bn)

2. Ip Man 2 - $33.82m (RM230m)

3. Alice in Wonderland –$32.35m (RMB220m)

4. Iron Man 2 - $25m (RMB170m)

5. Clash of the Titans - $24.56m (RMB167m)

6. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time – $22.79m (RMB155m)

7. Little Big Soldiers - $22.65m (RMB154m)

8. 14 Blades – $21.03m (RMB143m)

9. Go Lala Go – $19.41m (RMB132m)

10. Just Another Pandora’s Box - $19.12m (RMB130m)

Source: SARFT & Screen International