China’s theatrical box office rose nearly 22% in 2025 to 51.8 billion yuan ($7.4 billion), powered by an animation-led year that produced two runaway hits: domestic phenomenon “Ne Zha 2” and Disney’s “Zootopia 2,” according to figures released by the China Film Administration and compiled by local trackers.
The market’s rebound followed a weak 2024, when revenue fell to 42.5 billion yuan amid softer consumer spending and fierce competition from online entertainment. Attendance climbed back to about 1.2 billion admissions in 2025, an increase of roughly 227 million from the year before, while domestic titles held close to 80% of annual takings.
“Ne Zha 2” supplied the year’s biggest jolt. The sequel earned 15.4 billion yuan in China and drew about 324 million admissions, setting a single-territory record and accounting for close to a third of annual revenue by some tallies. At a forum earlier this year, China Film Administration deputy director Mao Yu said the result showed the market can support films past the 15 billion yuan mark, calling it an example of the “advantages of a super-large market.”
The other anchor came from abroad. “Zootopia 2” opened day-and-date with North America on Nov. 26 and became the top-grossing imported animated film in Chinese history; Maoyan reported 3.1 billion yuan by Dec. 10 and projected a finish near 3.8 billion yuan, while Reuters reported the film later crossed $560 million in China on its way to about $1.46 billion worldwide by year’s end.
Analysts caution that the surge still leaves the industry short of its pre-pandemic peak, and year-end strength can mask a top-heavy slate. Imported films represented about 17% of China’s 2025 box office, below the share seen in 2019, underscoring how rare “Zootopia 2” has become as a four-quadrant breakout in the market.
