‘Lost in Hong Kong’ First Week Ahead of ‘Monster Hunt’ Numbers


by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

Terminator Genisys

Just a week into its release in PRC theaters, Lost in Hong Kong will easily surpass the 1 billion Chinese renminbi (US$160 million) mark. The sequel to the 2012 megahit Lost in Thailand now stands 7% ahead of the opening week pace of all-time box office champion Monster Hunt.

It took the Xu Zheng directed comedy only 5 days to cruise past Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation, which is in its 23rd day of release in China, and to enter the ranks of the 8 highest grossing movies there this year. The film will meet little resistance in climbing past Jian Bing Man, Jurassic World and Avengers: Age of Ultron into the year’s top 3. Whether it has the legs to catch up with Furious 7 and Monster Hunt, each at just over 2.4 billion RMB, remains to be seen.

One factor that could slow Lost in Hong Kong down is that it faces a slew of competing releases this week as the National Day holiday week begins. One such competitor, Lu Chuan’s The Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe, took first place on Wednesday with a solid $14.2 million opening day, compared to Lost in Hong Kong’s $13.7 million for the day.

LiHK vs MH

Among other releases that will attempt to cut down the Lost juggernaut are a pair of Disney imports: Pixar’s Inside Out, opening October 6th, and Marvel’s Ant Man, opening October 16th.  Inside Out should open on about 15 to 20 percent of China’s movie screens, but its impact there will likely be limited, for two reasons. First, Pixar has struggled in China, with most of its films underperforming there relative to their success in the rest of the world. Second, a pirated HD version of the film is already widely available, which will unfortunately allow many families with kids to view it at home rather than at the multiplex. Such are the hazards of China, where releases like Inside Out can be delayed for 6 months or more.

Of course, Monster Hunt also scored its 2.44 billion RMB ($392 million) record gross despite hefty completion from Jian Bing Man and Monkey King: Hero is Back. All three films played in China’s multiplexes at the same time in August, yet they managed to notch the number 1, number 5 and number 7 rankings among all films for the year so far.

Top Grossers 2015

Whatever its final tally, Lost in Hong Kong will put China that much closer to achieving a $7 billion aggregate box office gross by year’s end, a remarkable achievement for a territory that was worth only $1.5 billion in annual box office in 2010.

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‘Lost’ Finds Whopping $106 Million 3-Day Debut In China

‘Lost’ Finds Whopping $106 Million 3-Day Debut In China


‘Lost’ Finds Whopping $106 Million 3-Day Debut In China

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

LiHK 3

Taking advantage of its prime opening weekend slot during the Harvest Moon Festival, Lost in Hong Kong grossed more than $32 million per day in each of its first 3 days for a spectacular $106 million weekend, the best ever for a Chinese movie. Only Furious 7, which debuted to $121 million in its Sunday-Tuesday opening in April, has ever notched a bigger 3-day opening in China.  Keep reading in Forbes…

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‘Terminator Genisys’ Blitzes China Blackout With $26 Million Opening Day


‘Terminator Genisys’ Blitzes China Blackout With $26 Million Opening Day

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

Terminator Genisys

Once again Chinese audiences have stepped up to support a Hollywood movie that badly needed an international boost, in this case the $155 million budgeted Terminator Genisys. The franchise reboot, which sees the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger to the 31 year-old sci-fi series after a 12-year hiatus, took in $26 million (166.1 million RMB) in its first day of release on Sunday, including midnight screenings.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2015/08/24/terminator-genisys-rocks-china-with-26-million-opening-day/
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China’s National Summer Blackout Is A Roaring Success


China’s National Summer Blackout Is A Roaring Success

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

China’s economy may be slowing down, but its movie business keeps steamrolling ahead.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2015/08/01/chinas-national-summer-blackout-is-a-roaring-success/
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8 Reasons Why A China Economic Slowdown Won’t Crash Its Movie Business


8 Reasons Why A China Economic Slowdown Won’t Crash Its Movie Business

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

China’s economy may be slowing down, but its movie business keeps steamrolling ahead.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2015/07/27/8-reasons-why-a-china-economic-slowdown-wont-crash-its-movie-business/
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Which 15 Movies Will Get China’s Remaining 2015 Import Slots?


Which 15 Movies Will Get China’s Remaining 2015 Import Slots?

How China Crushed Hollywood’s Summer at the PRC Box Office


How China Crushed Hollywood’s Summer at the PRC Box Office

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

TMK Hero is Back

Summer’s a Bummer For Hollywood in China

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2015/07/24/how-china-crushed-hollywoods-summer-at-the-prc-box-office/
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Box Office Records Battered as China Flips For ‘Pancake Man’


Box Office Records Battered as China Flips For ‘Pancake Man’

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

Pancake Man

‘Pancake Man’ and other films have flattened China’s previous box office records this weekend.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robcain/2015/07/19/box-office-records-battered-as-china-flips-for-pancake-man/
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What ‘s So Special About India’s Hit Film ‘Baahubali’?


What ‘s So Special About India’s Hit Film ‘Baahubali’?

by Robert Cain for China Film Biz

4 key reasons why India’s moviegoers are flocking to ‘Baahubali’, and why you should too.

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China’s Movie Industry is Growing Faster Than Any Other Country’s Anywhere, Any Time, Ever


Despite a Slowing National Economy, China’s Movie Business is Growing Faster Than Ever

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