Many American movies got attention last week after the 97th Academy Awards, but a Chinese animated film, Ne Zha 2, was the real superstar. It made history during the Chinese New Year by having the biggest opening weekend ever for an animated movie.
Ne Zha 2 has earned over $2 billion worldwide, making it one of only seven movies ever to reach that number. Most of the money came from China, where it’s now the highest-earning movie ever, beating the previous record by over $1 billion.
This weekend, Ne Zha 2 made even more history! After playing in theaters for over a month, it earned more money than Avengers: Infinity War, which made $2.04 billion worldwide. Soon, it will also pass Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which made $2.05 billion, making it one of the top five movies ever.
By the time it finishes in theaters, Ne Zha 2 will be in the same league as some of the most famous movies ever—Titanic, Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar, and Avengers: Endgame. Avatar is still the highest-earning movie ever, making almost $3 billion worldwide!
Read More: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Has Become the Highest Grossing Animated Movie of All Time, Passing ‘Inside Out 2’
During its amazing run, Ne Zha 2 became the biggest movie of 2025 and the highest-earning animated movie ever. To reach this record, it beat Inside Out 2, which made $1.7 billion.
What’s even more impressive is that Ne Zha 2 cost much less to make—only $80 million, while Inside Out 2 cost $200 million! In recent years, movie studios have been trying to keep animation budgets under $100 million. Big hits like Despicable Me 4, Minions, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie were all made for less than that amount.
Lately, movie theaters in China have changed a lot. In the past, China depended on American movies, but now, it primarily supports its films. While a few Hollywood movies, like Venom: The Last Dance and Jurassic World Dominion, have been successful in China, most American films aren’t as popular there anymore. This has given Chinese movies, like Ne Zha 2, a chance to shine.
Audiences loved Ne Zha 2, and it has an amazing 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a website where people rate movies. Stay tuned for more updates!
Source: Collider