China’s animated film industry has made significant strides in recent years, and “Ne Zha 2” has cemented its place as a major player in the global market. The film, released in late January, took half of the box office for the week-long Spring Festival holiday and beat Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” to become the top-grossing animated film worldwide with over $1.79 billion in ticket sales.
The success of “Ne Zha 2” marks a turning point for China’s animation industry, which has only started to gain momentum in the last decade. The film’s appeal to both domestic and international audiences has been attributed to its unique storytelling style and memorable characters.
According to Yu Zhou, president of Light Chaser Animation, the studio behind “Ne Zha 2”, the company needs to hire at least 100 more people to keep up with its new production plan, which includes releasing two movies annually starting from 2026. The studio also plans to move to a new office in the second half of this year.
China’s animation industry has been gaining traction, with several other films and television series making waves in recent years. “Big Fish and Begonia”, released in 2016, was praised for its bold and breathtaking fantasy adventure storyline. Another notable film is “Ne Zha”, which ranked third by domestic box office in 2019.
The industry’s growth has also been fueled by the use of generative AI in filmmaking. Short-video streaming app Kuaishou is releasing a seven-part mini series, “New World Loading”, largely created using its Kling AI for video generation.
As China continues to build its cinematic player, the country’s animation industry is expected to play an increasingly significant role in shaping global entertainment trends.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/26/the-record-breaking-run-of-ne-zha-2-may-seem-like-a-surprise-it-shouldnt-be.html