China has overtaken North America as the top global film market in 2026, with total box office revenue exceeding 7 billion yuan ($970 million). The milestone reflects strong audience turnout, largely driven by the Spring Festival holiday that began on February 15.
Spring Festival ticket sales contributed over half of the total earnings, amounting to 4.4 billion yuan. Blockbusters across various genres premiered during the nine-day holiday, providing entertainment for families and boosting nationwide cinema attendance.
Leading the charts was “Pegasus 3,” Han Han’s racing-comedy sequel starring Shen Teng, earning more than 2 billion yuan. Other top performers included Zhang Yimou’s spy thriller “Scare Out” with 701 million yuan, and martial arts action film “Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert” with 577 million yuan.
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