#1 of 1,044 Highest-grossing Chinese-language movie ever
2025 · Animation, Drama
$2.3B worldwide
$23.3M US & Canada · 1% $2.2B elsewhere · 99%
Chinese box office
Chinese Box Office: Highest-Grossing Chinese Movies of All Time & 2026 So Far
Ne Zha 2 (2025) is the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie in our database, with $2.3B worldwide, ahead of The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) ($902.5M) and Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) ($870.3M). 1,044 Chinese-language films report a worldwide gross, $35.5B in all, 2% of it from the US & Canada. 1 film crossed $1 billion and 82 crossed $100 million. In 2026 so far, Dear You (2026) leads with $291.1M; 11 releases took $794.3M, down 79% on the same days of 2025 ($3.7B).
- Chinese films with a gross
- 1,044
- combined worldwide, all time
- $35.5B
- from 2026 releases so far
- $794.3M
- vs the same days of 2025
- −79%
#1 of 1,044 All-time records
What Are the 10 Highest-Grossing Chinese Movies Ever?
Ne Zha 2 (2025) leads with $2.3B, $1.4B ahead of The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021). The top 10 took $8.8B together, 25% of what all 1,044 films earned. All of them came out in 2016 or later.
- 1 Feb 14, 2025 US and Canada: $23.3M Rest of the world: $2.2B Worldwide: $2.3B
- 2
Sep 30, 2021 US and Canada: $342.4K Rest of the world: $902.2M Worldwide: $902.5M - 3
Jul 28, 2017 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: $867.6M Worldwide: $870.3M - 4
Feb 12, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $822M - 5
Aug 29, 2019 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: $722.5M Worldwide: $726.2M - 6
Feb 8, 2019 US and Canada: $6M Rest of the world: $694M Worldwide: $700M - 7
Feb 12, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $686.3M - 8
Mar 17, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $670.5M - 9
Jan 20, 2023 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: $610M Worldwide: $615M - 10
Feb 23, 2018 US and Canada: $1.5M Rest of the world: $577.8M Worldwide: $579.3M
2026 so far
What Are the Biggest Chinese Hits of 2026 So Far?
Dear You (2026) leads with $291.1M, 37% of the total. The top 5 together took $787.5M, 99% of what all 11 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
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Number 1 -
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
By release month
Which Month of 2026 Was Best for Chinese Movies?
February releases took the most, $415.7M from 2 films, led by Blades of the Guardians (2026). July was the quietest month ($41.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Back to the Past (2026) $39.5M Back to the Past (2026)
- February Feb Blades of the Guardians (2026) $415.7M Blades of the Guardians (2026)
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr Living the Land (2026) $587.7K Living the Land (2026)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun The Furious (2026) $43.8M The Furious (2026)
- July Jul Ip Man: Kung Fu Legend (2026) $41.1K Ip Man: Kung Fu Legend (2026)
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep Dear You (2026) $294.7M Dear You (2026)
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – so far No reported grosses
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Chinese Movies?
2019 releases earned the most: $4.6B from 66 films, led by Ne Zha (2019). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 66 films | 66 | $4.6B | Ne Zha (2019) $726.2M |
| 2025 27 films | 27 | $3.7B | Ne Zha 2 (2025) $2.3B |
| 2021 44 films | 44 | $3.7B | The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) $902.5M |
| 2018 63 films | 63 | $3.5B | Operation Red Sea (2018) $579.3M |
| 2017 68 films | 68 | $3.2B | Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) $870.3M |
| 2023 43 films | 43 | $3.2B | Full River Red (2023) $670.5M |
| 2015 78 films | 78 | $2.6B | Lost in Hong Kong (2015) $256.3M |
| 2016 76 films | 76 | $2.2B | Monster Hunt (2016) $387.1M |
| 2013 57 films | 57 | $1.3B | Lost in Thailand (2013) $197.8M |
| 2020 32 films | 32 | $1.3B | The Eight Hundred (2020) $461.4M |
By genre
Which Chinese Genres Earned the Most?
Drama took $21.2B across 612 films, 60% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($13.1B) and Action ($12.2B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
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Drama $21.2B612 films · #1 Ne Zha 2 (2025) -
Comedy $13.1B309 films · #1 Hi, Mom (2021) -
Action $12.2B239 films · #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) -
Fantasy $8.6B103 films · #1 Ne Zha 2 (2025) -
Adventure $6.6B100 films · #1 Detective Chinatown 3 (2021) -
Thriller $5B130 films · #1 Ne Zha (2019) -
Mystery $4.6B80 films · #1 Detective Chinatown 3 (2021) -
Animation $4.6B62 films · #1 Ne Zha 2 (2025) -
Romance $4.2B261 films · #1 Sex and the City (2008) -
War $4.2B39 films · #1 The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021)
Archive
Chinese Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1947 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $4.6B, led by Ne Zha (2019).
2020s 7 years · $14.3B
2010s 10 years · $19.3B
- 2019 $4.6B #1 Ne Zha (2019)
- 2018 $3.5B #1 Operation Red Sea (2018)
- 2017 $3.2B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $2.2B #1 Monster Hunt (2016)
- 2015 $2.6B #1 Lost in Hong Kong (2015)
- 2014 $1.1B #1 Journey to the West (2014)
- 2013 $1.3B #1 Lost in Thailand (2013)
- 2012 $289.1M #1 Chinese Zodiac (2012)
- 2011 $325.1M #1 Beginning of the Great Revival (2011)
- 2010 $281.6M #1 If You Are the One 2 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $1.7B
- 2009 $205M #1 Red Cliff (2009)
- 2008 $681.4M #1 Sex and the City (2008)
- 2007 $184.4M #1 Lust, Caution (2007)
- 2006 $130.2M #1 Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
- 2005 $140.6M #1 Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
- 2004 $120.8M #1 House of Flying Daggers (2004)
- 2003 $5.4M #1 Sweet Sixteen (2003)
- 2002 $7.4M #1 Lan yu (2002)
- 2001 $16.2M #1 In the Mood for Love (2001)
- 2000 $216.8M #1 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
1990s 10 years · $172.5M
- 1999 $28.5M #1 Election (1999)
- 1998 $1M #1 Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl (1998)
- 1997 $36.2M #1 Addicted to Love (1997)
- 1996 $26.9M #1 Eye for an Eye (1996)
- 1995 $3.2M #1 Shanghai Triad (1995)
- 1994 $9.7M #1 Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
- 1993 $27M #1 Undercover Blues (1993)
- 1992 $19.6M #1 Hero (1992)
- 1991 $4.7M #1 Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
- 1990 $15.6M #1 Revenge (1990)
1980s 9 years · $46.7M
- 1989 $220.8K #1 A City of Sadness (1989)
- 1988 $108.4K #1 Red Sorghum (1988)
- 1987 $2.6K #1 Daughter of the Nile (1987)
- 1986 $7.8M #1 The Best of Times (1986)
- 1985 $35.3K #1 Taipei Story (1985)
- 1984 $23.8M #1 Unfaithfully Yours (1984)
- 1983 $37.5K #1 That Day, on the Beach (1983)
- 1981 $14.5M #1 Rich and Famous (1981)
- 1980 $228.5K #1 Haunted Tales (1980)
1970s 3 years · $18.2M
1960s 1 year · $134
1950s 3 years · $216.1K
1940s 1 year · $10.6M
Other languages
Compare Chinese With Another Language
Chinese has 1,044 films with a gross and $35.5B in all; each of these 16 languages has the same all-time and yearly charts to compare with.
English 
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Spanish 
Japanese 
Korean 
Hindi 
German 
Italian 
Russian 
Portuguese 
Turkish 
Dutch 
Arabic FAQ
Chinese Box Office: Questions & Answers
The Chinese charts in short: the all-time #1, 2026's leader, the billion-dollar hits and the biggest year, answered from the same 1,044 films as the charts.
What is the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie of all time?
Ne Zha 2 (2025) leads with $2.3B worldwide, $23.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) ($902.5M) and Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) ($870.3M).
All-time chart What is the highest-grossing Chinese-language movie of 2026 so far?
Dear You (2026) leads 2026 with $291.1M worldwide, 37% of the $794.3M that its 11 releases report. Films of this year are still earning, so the order can change.
2026 chart How much have Chinese-language movies earned at the box office?
1,044 Chinese-language films report a worldwide gross, $35.5B in all, or $34M per film on average. $797.1M (2%) came from the US & Canada.
How many Chinese-language movies have made $1 billion?
1 film crossed $1 billion worldwide, among them Ne Zha 2 (2025). 82 crossed $100 million.
Which year was the biggest for Chinese-language movies?
2019 releases earned the most: $4.6B from 66 films, led by Ne Zha (2019).
2019 chart How are Chinese box office numbers counted?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.