‘Monster Hunt’ a monster success at the box office
Print Edition
“Monster Hunt” has become the most successful Chinese film to date, the entertainment watchdog said yesterday.
The live action and animation fantasy took in more than 1.268 billion yuan (US$204 million) at the box office just 10 days after its July 16 launch, according to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.
Previously, the box office record was held by “Lost in Thailand,” a 2012 comedy directed by Xu Zheng, followed by Stephen Chow’s 2013 adventure comedy “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.”
A sequel to the new blockbuster is already in the works.
Xu congratulated the makers by posting a picture online showing a crowned Huba — the name of the monster in the movie — dancing on top of his iconic shaven head.
“Records are set to be broken,” his posting read. “Go ahead, Chinese movies.”
Directed by Raman Hui, the Hong Kong animator known for his Hollywood blockbuster series “Shrek,” “Monster Hunt” tells a story of a young man who creates a monster by accident.
Its star-studded cast includes Jing Boran, Bai Baihe, Yao Chen, Tang Wei, Eric Tsang and Sandra Ng.
Initial prospects for the movie did not look good after its original lead, Taiwanese actor Kai Ko, was involved in a drug scandal.
Kai Ko was arrested along with Jackie Chan’s son Jaycee Chan for taking narcotics in August 2014, and the movie had to be re-shot with a new leading actor.
However, defying expectations, the movie took in 171 million yuan on its first day, 300 million by day two, and 500 million by day three, setting the opening-day and single-day records for a Chinese film.
China is the world’s second-largest film market after the United States and
Canada. Its box office totaled 20.4 billion yuan in the first half of 2015, according to the watchdog.
Domestic films took in 9.5 billion yuan, compared to foreign movies which grossed a total of 10.8 billion yuan.
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