THE week-long Spring Festival holiday has become the biggest cinema-going season of the year in China. This year, the box office revenue during the holiday (Feb. 10-17) hit a record high of nearly 8.02 billion yuan (US$1.13 billion), according to the State Film Administration, thanks to diverse comedy films which have effectively met the viewing demands for family-friendly entertainment.

Three years after her breakthrough with the self-written, self-directed, and self-starring comedy film “Hi, Mom,” comedian Jia Ling returned with her uplifting comedy, “YOLO,” which grossed 2.72 billion yuan, claiming the top spot on the holiday box office chart.

“The movie serves as an inspiring guide, balancing humor and tears, and has enjoyed both commercial success and critical acclaim, despite some controversies,” said Chen Xuguang, director of Peking University’s Institute of Film, Television and Theater.

“Pegasus 2,” the sequel to a 2019 racing film by writer-director Han Han, ranked second on the chart with 2.4 billion yuan.

Since the release of its first theatrical film in 2014, the “Boonie Bears” animated film series has consistently released new movies. The latest installment, “Boonie Bears: Time Twist,” grossed 1.39 billion yuan, securing the third spot.

Following closely behind is Zhang Yimou’s “Article 20,” with box-office earnings of 1.34 billion yuan. Tackling a hot topic in real life, “Article 20” demonstrates the filmmakers’ social responsibility and commitment, while employing the power of movies to advance the progress of law and society, according to Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association.

While comedy films performed exceptionally well in the holiday box office, several movies opted to withdraw from the schedule. According to analysts, this highlights the need for filmmakers to enhance their understanding of market dynamics, cultural relevance, and the public’s movie-going preferences during the festive period to better cater to the viewers’ needs.

Next, “Dune” and “Oppenheimer” will both enjoy a return to cinemas on the Chinese mainland March 1. Universal’s “Argylle,” which opened in North America earlier this month, will release on the Chinese mainland Feb. 23.

It will be followed by Sony’s “Madame Web” (March 1), “Dune: Part Two” (March 8), “Kung Fu Panda 4” (March 22), “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” (March 29), and “Anatomy of a Fall” (March 29).

“Oppenheimer,” originally released in China in August 2023, was a hit in the country, where it was praised for its originality and daring. It was one of Hollywood’s few successes in 2023 in China, where it earned US$65 million, Variety reported. The Denis Villeneuve-directed “Dune” released in China in October 2021 and earned a more modest US$38 million.

Variety said that the “Oppenheimer” rerelease appears intended to capitalize on growing interest ahead of the Oscars ceremony March 10; and the rerelease of “Dune” will neatly cue up the March 8 release of “Dune: Part Two” and allow uninitiated viewers to catch up on the back story.

At least two other Hollywood titles have also already been given runway to succeed in China. Dreamworks Animation/ Universal’s Chinese-themed “Kung Fu Panda 4” will be released March 22, two weeks after the beginning of its international rollout.

That will be followed a week later by “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” on March 29, the same weekend as North America and the bulk of its international outings. (SD-Xinhua)