CHINA’S film market ended 2025 on a strong note, with total box-office revenue reaching 51.832 billion yuan (US$7.4 billion), up 21.95 percent year on year.

According to a recent announcement by the China Film Administration, domestic productions remained the backbone of the market, earning 41.293 billion yuan and accounting for nearly 80 percent of overall box-office revenue.

A total of 51 films crossed the 100-million-yuan box-office threshold in 2025, including 33 domestic titles. Animation emerged as a major driver of the market in 2025. Box-office revenue from animation films surpassed 25 billion yuan nationwide over the course of the year.

Many homegrown films achieved audience-recognized innovation in areas such as production quality, screenwriting, character development and emotional depth. Titles including “Ne Zha 2,” “Dead To Rights” and “Detective Chinatown 1900” were released in multiple overseas markets, enabling international viewers to better understand contemporary China through the cinema screen.

Notably, innovative initiatives such as “Travel China Through Film” have integrated film viewing with inbound tourism, encouraging foreign audiences to visit filming locations in the country.

Looking ahead in 2026, film fans can continue to expect a rich lineup of new releases, including major sequels from blockbuster franchises and revivals of classic series. The slate covers a diverse range of genres, including science fiction, adventure, animation, suspense, action and comedy.

‘Pegasus 3’

Written and directed by Han Han, the comedy drama film centers on the return of Zhang Chi after crushing defeats on the track and setbacks in life. This time with a brand new racing team, he faces an even more demanding off-road rally challenge.

The film also delivers adrenaline-charged race footage and breathtaking drifting sequences across the Gobi Desert. What resonates most with audiences in the “Pegasus” franchise is not just the competition, but the humor and warmth woven beneath the roar of engines. The film is slated for release on February 17, the Chinese New Year’s Day for the Year of the Horse.

‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, the American adventure film is a major tentpole in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It continues Marvel’s signature blend of spectacle and science fiction to depict an unprecedented and ultimate crisis facing the Avengers.

With Marvel’s superhero storytelling more refined than ever, the film not only ties up long-running plot threads but may also usher in a new phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, making it an unmissable cinematic event for Marvel fans.

‘Jingzhe’

Starring Jackson Yee, Zhu Yilong and Song Jia, the drama film by Zhang Yimou focuses on contemporary national security.

It is also the 28th feature-length film by the 76-year-old filmmaker.

When vital intelligence is leaked, a state security team is immediately mobilized. As the investigation deepens, successive arrest operations suffer devastating setbacks, and suspicion shockingly turns inward — pointing to someone within the force itself. Amid a vortex of trust and betrayal, a silent battle unfolds.

‘Dune: Part Three’

Renowned for its vast world-building and breathtaking visual effects, the “Dune” franchise has set a benchmark for science fiction cinema. This has created high anticipation for the arrival of “Dune: Part Three.”

Once again directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film continues the narrative threads of its predecessors, delving deeper into the secrets of Arrakis and the power struggles shaping the galaxy. As the finale of this sci-fi epic, the film is poised to reach new heights in both visual grandeur and narrative depth.

From the sweeping vistas of the desert planet to its probing exploration of humanity and power, it promises an immersive big-screen experience well worth the wait.

‘Blades of the Guardians’

Directed by Hong Kong action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, the film is adapted from Xu Xianzhe’s acclaimed comic of the same name. It brings together multiple generations of action legends, including Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse and Jet Li.

The story follows Dao Ma, a lone escort navigating the vast deserts, who accepts a mission to deliver his charge safely to Chang’an. What begins as a single escort job soon unfolds into a journey that will shape the fate of the realm.

‘The Odyssey’

This is director Christopher Nolan’s highly-anticipated new film following “Interstellar” and “Oppenheimer.” Adapted from the Homer’s Epics, the story follows the Greek hero Odysseus on his long and dangerous journey home after the Trojan War. Fans are eager to see how Nolan’s signature live-action shooting and sweeping narrative style will reimagine this timeless classic.

The film is shot entirely with IMAX cameras, featuring extensive real-life ocean sequences that force the actors to face towering waves head-on. This experience of confronting nature also helped Nolan to gain unexpected narrative insights, as the real world constantly pushed him to the limits.

‘Once upon A Time in the Middle East’

Director Wen Muye is known for uncovering moments of human warmth within grand narratives, and this film is no exception. Shen Teng stars as a head chef who travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts, teaming up with a receptionist to run a Chinese restaurant.

As war approaches, the restaurant becomes an unexpected culinary bridge that offers connection and comfort. Breaking away from his trademark comic image, actor Shen Teng evolves into a Chinese hero who risks everything to protect local children. As the first Chinese commercial film to focus on the lives of overseas Chinese in the Middle East, it highlights the enduring radiance of humanity amid conflict.

‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’

The film by Tom Harper is a spin-off movie of the popular series that ended on Netflix. Co-produced by the United Kingdom, France and the United States, the film continues the series’ historical backdrop and crime-driven style.

During World War II, Tommy Shelby returns to a bombed Birmingham, drawn into secret wartime missions inspired by true events. As he confronts new threats and grapples with his past, the stakes for both himself and the nation rise. Long-running plot threads from the series are brought to the big screen, along with the franchise’s signature gritty gangster storytelling.

‘The Three Kingdoms: Part I – Battle for Luoyang’

The Chinese animation feature film by Xie Junwei is set in the late Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). It unfolds in the aftermath of the Yellow Turbans Uprising, as eunuchs seize power and the imperial order collapses. Against this backdrop, rival warlords — including Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and Sun Jian — vie for control of Luoyang in a turbulent struggle for power.

A defining moment in the film sees a young Cao Cao execute a powerful noble who has violated the law, signaling the opening chapter of political intrigue and factional conflict in the waning years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is the first installment in Light Chaser Animation’s “Three Kingdoms” series.

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’

Still helmed by David Frankel, the classic fashion comedy returns, continuing to showcase the fun and quirky side of the fashion world with its lighthearted, comedic storytelling.

The story still follows Miranda Priestly as she clashes with Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, competing for advertising revenue amid the decline of print media — all while Miranda approaches her impending retirement.

‘Disclosure Day’

The sci-fi film by Steven Spielberg discusses “if you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?”

Centered on UFOs, extraterrestrials and the pursuit of “truth,” the film follows a broadcaster who becomes “possessed” and encounters mysterious, suspenseful events while investigating the unknown.

‘Cold Storage’

The sci-fi comedy thriller by Jonny Campbell tells a wildly hilarious story. Two unlucky night-shift workers stumble upon rapidly multiplying alien parasitic fungi, and they send out a desperate SOS.

A retired bioterrorism agent is pulled back into action to save a world teetering on the edge of fungal chaos.

Together with the two hapless young employees, the former agent must confront an invisible, uncontrollable threat before it’s too late.