Ne Zha 2’s unprecedented $1.6 billion box office success has been explained by IMAX China CEO Daniel Manwaring as the film is released in the US. The sequel to 2019’sNe Zha, the animated fantasy adventure film follows its titular character and his friend, Ao Bing, forced the share a body and restore the Sacred Lotus to get it back after the events of the previous movie. Having high critical praise, the movie also became 2025’s highest-grossing film so far.It’s earned $1.66 billion worldwide,with most comes from China, becoming theirhighest-grossing animated movieof all time.
Speaking with Scott Mendelson ofPuckabout the film’s success, Manwaring explained howNe Zha 2got so popular during its Chinese release.He explained the movie is part ofInvestiture of the Gods, a Chinese story whose cultural roots have helped bolster the film’s popularity. The IMAX China CEO also explained how the country’s movie business took longer to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, with the animated sequel being the first big movie to really arrive in theaters since. Check out what Manwaring had to say below:
Scott Mendelson: What explains the success ofNe Zha 2?Is it essentially aShrek 2phenomenon—namely, a well-liked sequel to a beloved original—or is there more to it?
Daniel Manwaring:Ne Zhacomes from a much larger universe calledInvestiture of the Gods. It’s a small piece of a story that runs thousands of years, and which children learn growing up. So you’ve got I.P. that has been instilled in people for so long. Then you combine it with the fact that it’s a good movie. It’s got laughter, amazing action sequences, and the best animation quality China has ever done. It hits every demographic. Moreover, we’ve seen a lot of Chinese films that are partially about teaching the audience something, often with a very on-the-nose message.Ne Zha 2doesn’t have any of that.
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Scott Mendelson:Covid arguably hit the Chinese movie business harder than Hollywood. In some ways, it’s still recovering.
Daniel Manwaring:China was essentially late to the post-Covid world. They basically delayed everything for a year. So in 2023, you had a pipeline of about three years of films that were on a shelf. The Film Bureau came in, they turned on the faucet, and everything flooded out in 2023. However, in 2024, you had many if not most of the films launching that year that were produced amid this post-Covid hangover. People didn’t know what the budget should be, or if audiences were going to go back to the movies. You had this transitional kind of year. There just really weren’t any big movies. But nowNe Zha 2just passed $104 million in Chinese Imax auditoriums alone, past the previous milestone,Avengers: Endgame, which earned around $83 million in 2019.
As for us, specifically, as of this past Sunday, around 11.28 million admissions were recorded forNe Zha 2in Imax in China. That’s just a crazy number.
What Manwaring’s Statement Says About Ne Zha 2’s Success
A Good Sign For China’s Recovering Film Industry
Ne Zha 2was produced by Enlight Pictures as part of their sharedFengshenUniverse, which also consists of 2019’sNe Zhaand 2020’sJiang Ziya. The lengthy wait between installments adaptingInvestiture of the Godsechoes Manwaring’s words about how China’s film industry was impacted by the pandemic. Its subsequent success also emphasizes the current rebound, spelling good news for both the country’s theatrical releases, and2025’s upcoming moviesfrom around the world, which could find new footholds in the recovered market.
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Given just how massive a successNe Zha 2has become, the movie is already in the running for the highest-grossing film of the year. While other big releases like theupcomingAvatar: Fire and Ashcould surpass its box office run,the animated feature has proven the Chinese film market is having a major recovery periodthat could trickle into more films throughout the year. This will no doubt include movies produced in the country, with half the current highest-grossing movies of 2025 coming from China as of writing.
Our Take On Ne Zha 2’s Major Box Office Success
The Strength Of China’s Film Industry Is Clear
With the movie proving itself incredibly popular in China,Ne Zha 2symbolizes just how good the country’s domestic box office performance can be as 2025 continues. It may also prove important for larger overseas releases as well, especially those whose box office performances often rely on large international markets to turn a profit. With the country’s animated release showcasing the power of its theatrical releases, even more impressive numbers are likely to come as the year’s releases continue.
$1.66 billion
$443.1 million
$192.4 million
$160.2 million
$101.5 million
$89.3 million
$87.2 million
$53.8 million
$53.7 million
$39.4 million
