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Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Ne Zha 2' English Dub Sets Sights on Global Market: ‘The Returns Could be Enormous'
Chinese animation blockbuster 'Ne Zha 2' continues to shatter records as distributors prepare an English-dubbed version with 'well-known' voice talent, setting the stage for a broader international push following its unprecedented local success. The film has already grossed $2.11 billion globally, making it the highest-grossing animated film of all time and the fifth highest-grossing film ever. At the Beijing International Film Festival's industry forum titled 'How High is the Ceiling for China's Film Market?', Catherine Ying, president of distributor CMC Pictures, revealed plans for the English-dubbed version while discussing the film's international strategy. 'People are excited and happy to see 'Ne Zha 2,'' Ying said. More from Variety Beijing International Film Festival Marks Triple Milestone With Star-Studded Opening Chinese Filmmakers Vie for Glory at Beijing's Tiantan Awards Global Distributors of Chinese Cinema to Be Recognized at Beijing International Film Festival CMC Pictures has already secured distribution on 1,000 screens in North America and 162 in Australia for the film. For the upcoming English dub, Ying noted that the marketing approach will shift significantly with 'targeted TV advertising and social media including YouTube and TikTok,' along with a 'bigger marketing budget' to reach non-Chinese audiences. Chinese films are also making unprecedented inroads in European markets. Cedric Behrel, managing director of distributor Trinity CineAsia, highlighted the remarkable performance of 'Ne Zha 2.' 'The release of 'Ne Zha 2″ in Europe has been extraordinary. We only started about a month ago, and it's already become the highest grossing Chinese film in Europe in 20 years,' Behrel said. He described booking the film at London's iconic Odeon Leicester Square cinema, 'where really only major U.S. studios are looking usually at James Bond and 'Wicked,'' as an 'inspiring moment' for Chinese cinema overseas. The film's success has been bolstered by premium format showings, with Behrel noting that premium formats account for remarkably high percentages of ticket sales – 33% in the U.K. and 24% in Germany. Director Huang Jianxin ('1921') touched on technological advancements, particularly 'using AI to enhance experience' for audiences 'pressed for time.' However, 'Infernal Affairs' trilogy director Andrew Lau took a more traditional stance, insisting 'story, script is the key.' He added that 'AI is cold – doesn't have any warmth. Communication is the key. AI is just a tool.' Daniel Manwaring, CEO of Imax China, stated: 'There is a market. All we need is good movies.' He stressed the importance of 'the best possible environment' to attract audiences, noting that five Chinese films will be shot in Imax this year. Delivering one of the Beijing forum keynotes, Fu Ruoqing, chair of China Film Group, emphasized China's ambition to 'build itself into a film power according to the 40th 5-year plan' by 2035. He highlighted the need for diversification in the Chinese film industry, which 'should not be supplied by just a few blockbusters.' He added that after the Lunar New Year box office high, led by 'Ne Zha 2,' the 'market has once again become colder.' 'We need a diversified slate to make the ecosystem sustainable,' he said. As Chinese films continue gaining traction internationally, industry leaders remain optimistic about the future global potential of titles like 'Ne Zha 2,' with Ying concluding, 'The returns could be enormous.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Euronews
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
The Ne Zha phenomenon: Biggest animated film of all time heading to European cinemas
'Ne Zha 2', the biggest animated film of all time which has been breaking records left, right and centre this year, is set to get cinema release dates in Europe. Trinity CineAsia has secured theatrical distribution rights for the Chinese animated epic across 37 European territories. ADVERTISEMENT Ne-who now? Ne Zha – a series inspired by the 16th-century Chinese novel "Investiture of the Gods", which combines elements of history, tales of gods and demons from Chinese folklore and plenty of mythology. The films follow how a pearl with spiritual energy is split into the Spirit Pearl and the Demon Orb. The first one is set to be reincarnated into the world as a demon-slaying hero, while the second is fated to be destroyed by heavenly lightning. In comes Ne Zha, who was supposed to be reincarnated as the hero but ends up being reborn as a demon. He must wrestle not only with his nature, but also his preordained fate as he embarks on a quest to obtain an elixir to restore the body of the dragon prince Ao Bing. Sounds like a lot, but it's all rather straightforward when you watch the first film. It's basically all about a wee scamp with an overbite battling demons while defying fate and offering a sly commentary on how the concepts of good and evil aren't determined by origin. Now that you're all caught up, time for the records. Ne Zha Beijing Enlight Pictures / CMC Pictures The 2025 sequel, written and directed by Jiaozi, has made history. The Chinese animated epic has become the highest-grossing film of all time in China, the highest-grossing animated film worldwide (surpassing Pixar's Inside Out 2), the first non-English language film to gross $1billion, and the first non-Hollywood production to crack the global all-time top 10 box office chart. Still with us? Ne Zha 2 currently ranks as the sixth highest grossing film of all time behind Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, Avatar: The Way of Water, Titanic and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It was released in China on 29 January and it passed the $2bn mark over the weekend. At the time of writing, it currently sits at $2,056,003,774 (for reference, Inside Out 2 has a worldwide gross of $1.69bn) and looks set to surpass Star Wars: The Force Awakens soon. Especially since Trinity CineAsia has secured theatrical distribution rights for Ne Zha 2 across 37 European territories - including the France, Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK – where it'll debut on 21 March. Ne Zha Beijing Enlight Pictures / CMC Pictures 'Rarely do you get a film that truly defines the era, shows again the unique power of cinema to move audiences, and makes an indelible mark on culture. This is 'Ne Zha 2,'' said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia. 'It signifies a major turning point in further establishing Trinity CineAsia as a pan-European distributor.' An indelible mark on culture that has been fuelled by nationalism in its native country, as Chinese fans came out against Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World to ensure Ne Zha 2's box office supremacy. Ne Zha Beijing Enlight Pictures / CMC Pictures Fans have taken to social media to disparage Ne Zha's main rival, with a popular slogan online being: 'I don't care if Ne Zha 2 can survive overseas, but Captain America 4 must die in China.' Ouch. 'It's not Captain America that's dying, but America that's dying', one online post read. 'In reality, the US does not have superheroes and the US is not a peace-loving, peace-defending beacon for humanity.' ADVERTISEMENT Ouch again. Captain America: Brave New World has only taken a total of $370million globally so far, and he's probably feeling red, white and very blue right about now. Ne Zha 2 is coming to a cinema near you very soon.
New York Times
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Who Needs Hollywood? Chinese Animated Film Shatters Box Office Records.
The new king of the Chinese box office is an adorably ugly, demonic child fighting off monsters. In less than two weeks since its release, 'Ne Zha 2,' an animated film based loosely on Chinese mythology and a famous 16th century novel, has become the highest-grossing movie ever in China, with more than $1 billion in ticket sales. It is also the first film not made by a Hollywood studio to cross that mark. The blockbuster delivered a rare dose of good news for the Chinese film industry, which is struggling with anemic ticket sales and a slumping economy. The few films that break through the malaise are no longer Hollywood titles, but domestic features teeming with patriotic messaging or rooted in traditional Chinese culture or folklore. 'Ne Zha 2' is a sequel to what had been the highest-grossing animated film in China. In the 2019 original, Nezha is born as the reincarnation of a demon with supernatural powers, but destined to live only three years. He fights back against his fate and saves his village. In the sequel, Nezha revisits a similar theme. He challenges the political order and authority governing gods and demons, fighting the Dragon King of the Four Seas and other creatures. ' 'Ne Zha 2' is the rare movie that hits all the marks,' said Raymond Zhou, an independent Chinese film critic. 'It targets all demographics, and has successfully won over all of them.' The movie has pulled in $1.2 billion in ticket sales since its release on Jan. 29, at the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, according to Maoyan, a Chinese entertainment data provider. Its haul is already more than double the highest-grossing movie of 2024. The film, distributed by CMC Pictures, will be released in North America on Friday. Chinese state media and Communist Party officials celebrated the movie's success, portraying it as a recognition of China's cultural influence. 'Chinese culture is constantly moving forward in inheritance and innovation and showing its unique charm,' wrote the Global Times, a Communist Party tabloid. China Daily, a state-run newspaper, said in an opinion essay that 'Ne Zha 2' symbolizes the country's 'growing cultural confidence.' It called it evidence that China's entertainment industry is telling its own stories instead of relying on Western studios to make movies based on Chinese folklore, citing 'Mulan' from Walt Disney Studios as an example. ' 'Ne Zha 2' reclaims the storytelling mantle, proving that no one can narrate China's myths better than China itself,' the essay stated. Traditional Chinese culture has also inspired breakthroughs in other forms of entertainment. In video games, Black Myth: Wukong, based on a classic 16th century Chinese novel called 'Journey to the West,' was an instant hit when it came out last year. Until 'Ne Zha 2,' the top-grossing Chinese films tapped into the country's deepening nationalistic fervor. The previous No. 1, 'The Battle at Lake Changjin,' is a 2021 film about a group of Chinese volunteers who defeated American soldiers during the Korean War. Close behind was 'Wolf Warrior 2,' a 2017 action film in which a Chinese former special forces soldier takes on an American villain. It's been a tough stretch overall for Chinese films, however. Box office sales fell 23 percent last year, according to the China Film Administration, a government regulator. The industry has gotten a boost from China's broader efforts to stimulate consumer spending and reinvigorate a sluggish economy. The government added an extra day to the more than weeklong New Year holiday, giving moviegoers more time to go to the theater. In addition, there were discounts, subsidies and other incentives for movie tickets. But Mr. Zhou, the film critic, said the incentives did not explain the success of 'Ne Zha 2.' He credited the franchise's popularity to its spin on classic tales and characters, resonating with younger audiences. As the world's second-largest movie market, after the United States, Chinese audiences were once a dependable source of ticket sales for Hollywood blockbusters. That is no longer the case. Last year, 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' was the only U.S. movie in the top 10 of China's box office, ranking ninth. In 2023, no American film cracked the top 10. Hu Xijin, a former editor in chief of the Global Times, said China's decision to open up to Hollywood films in the 1990s helped advance the country's movie industry, but China can now stand on its own. 'This is the best Chinese animation I have ever seen,' Mr. Hu wrote on Weibo, a social media platform. 'The era when Chinese people looked up to Hollywood cartoons like 'Kung Fu Panda' and marveled at them is over.'
