Oscar-winning Japanese animation 'The Boy and the Heron' made a successful debut in mainland Chinese theaters, dominating the box office with impressive earnings. The Miyazaki Hayao-directed fantasy-adventure film captured over half of all cinema revenues on both Wednesday and Thursday, showcasing its popularity among Chinese audiences.
On Wednesday, the film raked in an estimated $13.8 million, as reported by Ent Group. By Thursday evening, ticket sales from Maoyan indicated that the movie had accumulated a total of RMB254 million (approximately $35.2 million) over the two days. The decision to release the film on a Wednesday was strategic, aligning with the three-day Qingming public holiday in China, a time when families traditionally honor their ancestors.
Competing with other releases, including 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' 'The Boy and the Heron' maintained its lead at the box office. Despite 'Godzilla x Kong' being the biggest Hollywood opening in China this year, it fell to second place on Wednesday with earnings of $5.26 million. However, both films continued to attract audiences, with 'The Boy and the Heron' surpassing $22 million on its second day and 'Godzilla x Kong' adding $11 million on its seventh day.
While 'Godzilla x Kong' has already amassed over $66 million in China, 'The Boy and the Heron' showed promising early performance, hinting at the potential to become the Japanese film's second biggest market. The film had previously achieved success in its home market of Japan, earning $61 million, and in North America with a total of $46 million. Additionally, it garnered significant revenue in other international markets such as South Korea, France, and the U.K.
Japanese animated titles have been gaining popularity in China, with recent successes like 'Suzume' and 'The First Slam Dunk' achieving impressive box office numbers. The Chinese box office has been thriving, surpassing the North American market by 50% in 2024. As of the end of March, China's year-to-date box office revenue stood at $2.32 billion, outpacing the $1.47 billion earned in the U.S. and Canada during the same period, according to industry reports.
