Newscasts - Zootopia 2 breaks records in China with $275 million opening

Digital China Holdings

01/12/2025 08:08

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Source: 'Reuters - Business videos'

Description: Moviegoers flocked to Disney's Zootopia 2 on its Wednesday (November 26) opening day, even as interest in foreign films in the world's second-largest movie market more broadly remains muted. Ralf Rivas has more.

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Video Transcript:

Chinese moviegoers are packing theaters for Disney's "Zootopia 2," which opened November 26 and is already breaking records despite sluggish demand for foreign films. As of Monday, box office tracker Maoyan shows the movie has earned about $275 million in the country, that makes it the highest grossing foreign animated film ever in China within just days of its opening.

Shanghai theater partner Mike Wang bet big on the film, offering over 30 screenings on opening day.

We've sold around 900 tickets today. I think the final number will be around 950. It's around 10% to 15% surpassing my target. And I think this movie will be very good and popular in China. The popularity will continue for around two months. And I do hope that this movie will bring an international movie back to the market and back on the track where they were.

The movie accounted for 95% of all ticket sales over its opening weekend, a notable feat for a foreign title in China's evolving film market. Hollywood films have faced headwinds this year, caught in the China-US trade war and losing ground to local hits. Beijing curbed the number of US movies that can be shown in retaliation for Washington's higher tariffs on its goods. As for Disney, it leaned on local marketing for Zootopia 2, highlighting Shanghai Disney Resort. Home to the world's only Zootopia-themed land, opened in 2023, the attraction taps into Chinese fans' affection for the original film. Ashley Dudarenok, founder of China Digital Consultancy Chozan, says Disney's strategy paid off.

They've been trying for some time to become more relevant in the Chinese context, and they've tried with "Mulan", they've tried with a couple of other movies, and most of them with mixed success and underperforming for various reasons. And right now, we have Zootopia which ultimately tells a very positive story that resonates with the audience, and we can claim that it is Disney's most important movie in China this year for sure.