🍿 May Holidays Reinvigorate the Chinese Box Office

This represents a more than fourfold increase over the previous week’s $16 million, which had marked one of the lowest points of the year so far.

Thriller vs. Police Drama

The suspense thriller Vanishing Point, produced by Zhonghe Qiancheng, firmly secured the top spot in the charts. Directed by Cheng Wei-hao, the film earned 164.7 million yuan ($24.2 million) in its debut weekend.

Starring Zheng Kai and Liu Haocun, the plot centers on the mysterious disappearance of a young boy within a residential complex on the day of the winter solstice. This inciting incident unravels a web of dark secrets among the residents, ranging from a gambling addict attempting to hide a body to a lonely woman who has fallen victim to an assault.

Following closely behind is the highly anticipated prequel to the iconic Hong Kong franchise, Cold War 1994. The film debuted in second place with $21.2 million. Directed by Longman Leung, the prequel transports viewers back to the era before the Hong Kong handover, chronicling the power struggles of young officers played by Daniel Wu and Terrance Lau. Series veterans Aaron Kwok and Chow Yun-fat also make appearances.

Global Hits and Local Dramas

Third place was held by the Hollywood sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2, which added $6.1 million to its coffers (bringing its total Chinese earnings since April 30 to $8.5 million).

The remaining spots in the top five were occupied by:

• 4th Place: Chen Sicheng’s drama Being Towards Death, which earned $5.4 million. The tragic story of a man who becomes an oncology ward volunteer following a failed suicide attempt resonated deeply with audiences.
• 5th Place: The social drama No One Is Closer Than We, which collected $3.8 million. The film depicts a young man’s arduous struggle to secure medical compensation for his girlfriend following an accident.

Outlook and Projections

Despite the holiday boom, overall annual statistics remain a cause for concern. Mainland China’s box office revenue since the start of 2026 stands at $1.97 billion, which is 48.6% lower than the figures for the same period in 2025. Nevertheless, experts are hopeful that the May slate of premieres will help narrow this deficit.