China’s film industry experienced a challenging yet notable resurgence in 2025, with the total box office revenue reaching RMB51.83 billion (approximately $7.41 billion) and ticket sales soaring to 1.24 billion – both figures reflecting year-over-year growth exceeding 20%, according to a recent report from Maoyan Entertainment’s research team.
In contrast, the Chinese box office had suffered a significant decline of 23% in 2024, dropping to $5.8 billion. The recovery in 2025 was largely driven by captivating films and franchise-based intellectual properties (IPs), with an extraordinary total of 57 standout movies generating over RMB25 billion ($3.57 billion) in revenue—accounting for nearly half of the year’s overall earnings.Leading this charge were local sequel “Ne Zha 2” ($2.13 billion) and disney’s “Zootopia 2” ($558.3 million), which considerably boosted box office performance.
The Maoyan Research Institute’s “Insights Report on China’s Box Office Film Data for 2025,” underscored the ample impact of animation on market trends.
The Rise of Animation and IP Influence
The power of intellectual property was particularly evident within the animation genre, where select franchises achieved notably higher rewatch rates compared to industry averages. “Ne Zha 2” recorded the highest rewatch ratio for the year, while both “Zootopia 2” and other popular titles maintained strong fan engagement and loyalty.
The report also indicated an increasing concentration around major tentpole releases within the market landscape; among the top ten films released in 2025, four surpassed RMB3 billion ($429 million) at the box office while eight crossed RMB1 billion ($143 million). Local productions managed to capture a slightly larger market share compared to previous years; though, the number of domestic films grossing over RMB1 billion remained consistent year-over-year.
Conversely, mid-tier local releases faced significant hurdles as films earning between RMB100-500 million ($14.3 million-$71.5 million) and those grossing between RMB500 million-1 billion ($71.5 million-$143 million) saw marked declines—highlighting an increasing polarization towards blockbuster projects within consumer preferences.
A Shift Towards Diverse Storytelling
Lower-tier cities emerged as vital contributors to box office success,with third- and fourth-tier markets achieving their highest contributions in five years during 2025—a trend that has continued for three consecutive years now. Additionally, there was an uptick in first-time moviegoers and also infrequent cinema attendees expanding cinema’s audience reach.
This shift prompted local filmmakers to pivot away from grand narratives towards stories that resonate more closely with everyday life experiences while employing diverse visual styles and genres tailored to various audience preferences. In contrast, imported superhero franchises experienced considerable declines—indicating these properties may need innovative creative strategies to maintain their appeal within this evolving landscape.
“In light of our findings from this past year,” stated Lai Li, a market analyst at Maoyan Entertainment, “several key holiday release windows exceeded expectations due largely to breakout hits that set multiple new records while delighting both industry stakeholders and audiences alike.” He added that “the conventional ‘blockbuster model’ is no longer a guaranteed recipe for success at the box office; it offers fresh lessons for all participants involved.”
Looking Ahead: Strategies for Future Success
As we look forward into 2026, Lai emphasized that it is indeed crucial for industry players to continue refining their content pipelines by attracting diverse audience segments through high-quality films characterized by popularity, strong word-of-mouth recommendations, and originality—all essential elements needed unlock further potential growth within this dynamic marketplace.