In a remarkable turn of events at the Chinese box office from August 11th to 13th, the homegrown crime thriller ‘No More Bets’ has taken the lead, amassing an astonishing $101.1 million in its opening weekend. The film had garnered substantial anticipation through preview screenings before its official release, contributing to an astounding cumulative total of $247.5 million within a short period.
In a surprising shift, ‘Creation of the Gods 1: Kingdom of Storms,’ a Chinese fantasy blockbuster, reclaimed its place in second position, securing $26.8 million during the weekend, resulting in an impressive four-week total of $283.4 million. On the other hand, ‘Meg 2: The Trench,’ the much-awaited shark-infested action sequel jointly produced by Warner Bros. and China’s CMC Pictures, slid to the third position in its second weekend, amassing $16.7 million during the frame and a cumulative $91 million.
Paramount Pictures’ production, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ faced a disappointing start, grossing less than $1 million over three days. Despite featuring the renowned Chinese action icon Jackie Chan in a prominent voice role, the film continues the trend of Hollywood releases struggling to find traction within China’s competitive box office landscape. Industry expert Maoyan predicts a lackluster final earning of merely $1.5 million for ‘Ninja Turtles.’
‘No More Bets,’ overseen by Chinese hitmaker Ning Hao (known for ‘Crazy Alien’) as its executive producer and directed by the emerging talent Shen Ao, has captivated audiences with its gripping narrative. The story revolves around a computer programmer, portrayed by Lay Zhang, and a model, played by Gina Jin. These characters venture abroad, enticed by lucrative job offers, only to be trapped by a heartless gang and coerced into participating in online fraud schemes. Shen Ao’s meticulous research, involving the study of numerous real-life cyber fraud cases involving Chinese citizens, shaped the film’s authenticity and depth. Projections from Maoyan indicate that ‘No More Bets’ is on track to emerge as China’s most prominent summer hit, with an anticipated total surpassing $500 million.
As the market landscape evolves, Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ has gradually receded from the forefront, having garnered $35.8 million. Expectations from Maoyan suggest limited incremental gains for the movie.
Christopher Nolan’s highly-anticipated release, ‘Oppenheimer,’ is set to take the spotlight in China on August 30th, marking another notable addition to the country’s cinematic offerings.
