Nezha 2 crowns HK and Macau highest-grossing animated film on opening day

The mainland's blockbuster NeZha 2 achieved record-breaking success at the box office on its opening day in both Hong Kong and Macau, generating a total revenue of HK$6,572,837.

With over 800 premiere screenings conducted across two SARs on Saturday (Feb 22), Nezha 2 not only topped the box office but also set records as the highest-grossing opening Chinese animated film in both cities.

The executives from the four distribution companies in Hong Kong expressed excitement over the film's historical success.

Albert Yeung Sau-shing, chairman of Emperor Group, expressed his honor in being the distributor for the film and believes it has the potential to become one of the top-grossing films globally and takes great pride in the achievements of Chinese cinema.

Peter Lam Kin-ngok, chairman of the Media Asia Group Holdings, commended the successful collaboration among the four distribution firms and expressed confidence that the film will continue to surprise viewers.

Raymond Wong Pak-ming, director of Mandarin Motion Pictures, expressed pride for the records that Nezha 2 has made, praising its representation of Chinese classic story from a modern perspective. 

Wong also hoped more audiences would appreciate the film's unique cultural charm and its deep emotional resonance.

Sil-Metropole Organization general manager Ding Kai expressed his optimism that the film's success will boost the struggling film industry and encourage more mainland films to screen in the city. 

Meanwhile, insiders claimed that Nezha 2 was approved by the Film Censorship Authority and classified as "Category I" -- Suitable for All Ages -- just one day after authorities received the application on February 17.

The standard application process for a certificate of approval typically takes a month. However, the rare rapid screening process is capturing the attention of the film industry, with some wishing that the review times for other films could also be expedited.

Some agreed that such a special arrangement is needed to seize the opportunity for a quick release.

According to data from ticketing site Maoyan, the total global box office for Nezha 2 has reached over 13.5 billion yuan as of Sunday morning (Feb 23).