China's Box Office on Track to Surpass US$7b as New Year's Releases Begin

Caption: A still from "Zootopia 2."

China's 2025 box office has surpassed 48 billion yuan (US$6.79 billion), fueled by strong New Year's presales and the runaway success of "Zootopia 2," according to tracker Beacon.

The animated sequel has already made 2.06 billion yuan on the Chinese mainland, drawing more than 30 million viewers. On November 29, it set a single-day admissions record for an animated film in China with 17.32 million tickets sold.

Pre-sales for the New Year's film slot have also surpassed one billion yuan. Following "Zootopia 2," "My World Without Me" and "Gezhi Town" are also popular with moviegoers, topping the presales charts.

"My World Without Me," the feature directorial debut of actress Tian Hairong, sheds light on the fears and hardships that contemporary people confront in their families and workplaces.

Caption: The makers of the film, "My World Without Me," were at a special screening in Shanghai.

Caption: "Avatar: Fire and Ash" is another eye-catching film to be released in the New Year season.

The war film "Gezhi Town," starring Xiao Zhan and Peng Yuchang, follows a group of ordinary people who fight a life-or-death battle against the Japanese army to protect their homeland.

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" is another highly anticipated film this season. It is set to open in Chinese cinemas on December 19.

It is James Cameron's latest installment in the "Avatar" saga. With a runtime of 195 minutes, the film will combine dazzling visuals and cutting-edge technology to immerse fans in a completely new ecosystem while telling an epic science-fiction story.

Other New Year's releases include "Under Current," based on a true philanthropic case, "Made in Yiwu 2," a comedy, and "Escape from the Outland," which is also based on a real incident.