"Ne Zha 2" shattered Chinese box office records on Thursday, becoming the highest-grossing domestic film ever just nine days after its release.

A new poster marks "Ne Zha 2's" record as the highest-grossing film in Chinese cinema history. [Image courtesy of Coloroom Pictures]

The animated feature, directed by Yang Yu, better known as Jiaozi, earned 5.8 billion yuan ($796 million) by Feb. 6, surpassing the previous record holder "The Battle at Lake Changjin," which earned 5.78 billion yuan, according to Maoyan Pro, a top box office tracking platform. "Ne Zha 2" achieved this milestone in eight days and five hours, setting over 70 box office records and becoming 2025's top-grossing film worldwide.

The sequel to 2019's "Ne Zha," which earned 5 billion yuan, continues to explore stories from the Ming dynasty novel "Investiture of the Gods." It follows Ne Zha and Ao Bing, who return in lotus-formed bodies after a catastrophe. The plot involves threats from dragon kings and their armies, while a powerful god schemes to maintain control over immortals, demons and other beings.

Wang Changtian, president of Enlight Media, described the film as a comedic and visually stunning animated feature crafted for the big screen. Developed over five years with over 4,000 Chinese animation professionals, it features new characters, battle sequences and 1,900 visual effects shots.

"This film must go to the extreme," director Jiaozi said in a video released by IMAX China. "We spared no effort right up to the last day when some scenes were finally completed. I believe the super-level scenes are worthy of being presented on IMAX screens." IMAX China reported "Ne Zha 2" led the Spring Festival season with $36 million in IMAX format earnings.

The film's climactic battle features 200 million characters, a scale that presented unprecedented challenges for the production team. "The super-level shots are something nobody has ever seen before," Jiaozi said. "We had to push every boundary to achieve what we envisioned." He added that the sequel's theme evolved during its five-year development to reflect societal changes while maintaining sincerity, which he said resonates most profoundly with audiences.

A combination image shows congratulatory posters from filmmakers behind the top-grossing Chinese blockbusters — "The Battle at Lake Changjin," "Wolf Warrior 2," "Hi, Mom," "The Wandering Earth," "Full River Red" and "Detective Chinatown 3" — after "Ne Zha 2" surpassed their films. [Image provided to China.org.cn]

Maoyan Pro analyst Lai Li stated that the exceptional performance of the film has energized Chinese cinema, the animation sector and creators. "Both the booming Spring Festival period and rising box office ceiling demonstrate the strong resilience and enormous growth potential of the Chinese film market," he said.

Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, called "Ne Zha 2" a significant milestone for the Chinese film industry. "The box office trajectory of 'Ne Zha 2' indeed exceeded prior estimates, primarily because it draws from Chinese mythology while incorporating more modern expressions, satisfying the emotional and psychological needs of contemporary audiences," he told China.org.cn. "Its success primarily stems from compelling storytelling and sets new standards in animation, special effects, and audiovisual quality in Chinese cinema. Beyond narrative strength, it delivers imaginative storytelling and unique character development while conveying healthy, positive modern values."

Analysts project the film could reach 9.5 billion yuan ($1.3 billion), which would surpass the single-market record of $937 million set by "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" in North America. "Ne Zha 2" begins its global rollout on Feb. 13 through distributor CMC Pictures in Australia and New Zealand, followed by North America (U.S. and Canada) on Feb. 14. Other international territories will be handled by separate foreign or overseas Chinese distributors.