China Box Office Falls 18% in Week 29; 'Ba Xian!' Narrowly Beats 'Gongfu Nvzu' for Weekly Crown
China's weekly box office dropped 18% to RMB 1.24 billion in week 29 (July 20-26), the second consecutive week above RMB 1 billion. Animated film 'Ba Xian!' overtook Stephen Chow's 'Gongfu Nvzu' to win the week with RMB 495 million, just RMB 3 million ahead of the runner-up. 'Gongfu Nvzu' entered the top three in annual box office rankings, while 'Ba Xian!' placed seventh.
The summer blockbuster season is entering a period of intense competition. Data from the National Film Special Fund Office showed that in week 29 (July 20 to 26), national box office revenue reached RMB 1.24 billion, down 18% from the previous week. This was the second consecutive week this summer season that box office exceeded RMB 1 billion. Domestic animated film 'Ba Xian!' overtook Stephen Chow's 'Gongfu Nvzu' to become the top-grossing film from Friday through the weekend. 'Ba Xian!' ended the week with RMB 495 million to claim the top spot, ending 'Gongfu Nvzu''s two-week reign. The difference between the two films was less than RMB 4 million, with 'Gongfu Nvzu' taking second place with RMB 492 million. Currently, 'Gongfu Nvzu' has entered the top three in annual box office rankings and will soon surpass 'A Love Letter to Grandma,' while 'Ba Xian!' ranks seventh. A major characteristic of this summer season is frequent schedule changes, with films being moved forward or pulled from release dates.
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