The Chinese film industry is experiencing significant growth during the Year of the Snake Spring Festival, with pre-sale ticket revenue exceeding 300 million RMB (approximately 184 million MYR) within just three days. The standout film, “The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero,” starring popular idol Xiao Zhan, has emerged as the box office leader, achieving over 139 million RMB (about 85 million MYR) on the 21st. This remarkable feat makes it the fastest film in history to reach 100 million during the Chinese New Year period! Competing films like “Detective Chinatown 1900” featuring Chow Yun-fat and “The Dragon Operation,” rumored to have a production budget exceeding 1 billion RMB (around 613 million MYR), are currently taking a backseat.
It’s reported that “The Legend” topped pre-sale ticket sales due to enthusiastic purchases from Xiao Zhan’s fans. Social media users have advised film distributors and investors to express gratitude to this dedicated fanbase for their support, noting that relying on fans for ticket sales reflects a certain strength. Moreover, Xiao Zhan has put considerable effort into his role as “Guo Jing,” dedicating time to learn Mongolian for extensive dialogues and even sustaining injuries during filming; he was recently seen with stitches on his wrist, serving as a testament to his commitment. Many filmmakers who viewed “The Legend” have praised the notable improvement in his acting skills.
The film’s director has also enlisted several prominent actors, including Cai Shaofen, who appears as Guo Jing’s elderly mother “Li Ping,” and the long-absent Tony Leung portraying the main antagonist “Ouyang Feng,” while Hu Jun plays “Hong Qigong,” enhancing the film’s visual appeal. When Xiao Zhan was asked about the fierce competition during this year’s Spring Festival releases and any concerns regarding box office performance, he candidly stated: “I have done my best in acting; the outcome is in the hands of the audience and the market.”
The film “The Rescue” has emerged as a prominent title, while Chow Yun-fat’s movies, such as “Detective Chinatown 1900”, the animated feature “Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child”, and “The King’s Avatar” featuring Yang Yang, are securing the second, third, and fourth positions respectively, boasting pre-sale box office earnings exceeding 40 million RMB (around 24.5 million MYR). Following closely in fifth place is “Operation Dragon”, the sister film to “Operation Red Sea”, which has garnered approximately 22 million RMB (about 13.49 million MYR) in box office revenue.
These films, which are all blockbusters with diverse themes appealing to different audiences, are anticipated to have a significant impact, reminiscent of the situation seven years ago when “Operation Red Sea” entered the holiday period with low expectations but ultimately achieved more than 3.6 billion RMB (approx. 2.2 billion MYR) in box office revenue. Consequently, “Operation Dragon” has the potential to outshine the competition, particularly due to its strong cast, which includes renowned actors like Zhang Hanyu and Wang Junkai, inevitably heightening the anticipation. The film has also released several trailers recently, sustaining its popularity online, with views totaling a remarkable 1.2 billion and showing a clear upward trajectory.
