China Box Office: ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Enjoys Hollywood’s Second-Best Launch of the Year

As a seasoned film enthusiast with over three decades of cinematic exploration under my belt, I must say that the success story of “Venom: The Last Dance” in mainland China is nothing short of exhilarating. The trilogy’s third installment has managed to captivate audiences not only in Hollywood but also in the Far East, breaking records and setting new benchmarks for superhero films.


In mainland China, the release of “Venom: The Last Dance” exceeded expectations, recording the second highest box office take for a Hollywood film during its first weekend this year.

In China, the third installment of the “Venom” series, titled “Venom: The Last Dance,” generated RMB221 million ($31.1 million) from Friday through Sunday at the box office, as reported by Artisan Gateway. However, the film had an unusual opening on Wednesday and concluded its five-day run on Sunday evening with a total of $45.9 million.

During its debut week, the movie dominated the box office, taking the number one spot every day. The most impressive performance was on Saturday, where it was screened approximately 150,000 times and grossed slightly more than $14 million.

On their high-end screens, Imax announced that the movie grossed approximately 14% of its total five-day earnings in China, amounting to around $6 million.

This past weekend, a Hollywood film’s opening ranked as the second largest of the year, trailing only “Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire,” which made a stunning $44.6 million during its three-day debut back in March. Remarkably, it outperformed the $26.2 million debut of “Alien: Romulus,” a movie that eventually grossed more than $100 million in China.

The Last Dance” had the largest debut for a Hollywood superhero movie in China since 2019’s release of “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” according to Sony Pictures.

Over the past five years, many Hollywood films have been overlooked by Chinese viewers, except for a few notable exceptions that each have distinct qualities. The media in China has commended “Venom: The Last Dance” for its focus on emotional depth, which sets it apart from the previous two instalments of the series. On social platforms, the film has gained popularity due to its portrayal of an anti-hero character.

In late 2018, the initial movie of the Venom trilogy made an astonishing $262 million in China, surpassing its earnings in North America. The second installment, titled “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” had initially scheduled a release date in China. However, due to COVID-related restrictions in the country, the screening didn’t take place.

Coming in second during the recent weekend was “The Unseen Sister,” a gripping movie that combines suspense and drama. The film revolves around an actress who encounters mysterious threats and the unexpected visit of her long-lost sister. In just two days, it earned approximately RMB71.2 million ($10 million).

The movie is led by Midi Z, a director born in Myanmar but who primarily speaks Chinese. He’s known for producing films primarily in the art-house or documentary genres and has spent most of his career in Taiwan.

The upcoming movie, financed by Linmon Pictures and based on a book penned by Zhang Yueran, features the well-known actress Zhao Liying. Starting from Monday, it will premiere internationally as a competitive entry at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

In its fourth weekend of screening, the patriotic war movie titled “The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death,” earned $4.6 million, placing third. Since its debut on September 30, coinciding with the National Day holiday week, it has amassed a total of $161 million in ticket sales.

In its initial three-day weekend upon its re-release, the third movie in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” raked in a total of $4.1 million.

In this year’s Japanese animated movie titled “Look Back”, which was recently released in China, secured the fifth spot and generated a revenue of approximately $4 million. This heartwarming film centers around the unique bond between two girls, who despite having starkly different social backgrounds, are united by their shared passion for manga.

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2024-10-28 08:17