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Middle East Comedy Tops China Box Office Charts
21 Sep
Summary
- Comedy-drama 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' leads box office for six weeks.
- Film's cumulative earnings reached $325.7 million since its August 11 release.
- Overall China weekend grosses dropped to $15 million due to pre-holiday lull.
For the sixth consecutive weekend, the war comedy-drama "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" has secured the top position at the mainland China box office. During the Sept. 18-20 period, the film earned RMB28.1 million ($4.1 million). Directed by Wen Muye, the movie has accumulated a total of $325.7 million since its release on August 11.
The plot follows a Chinese chef whose restaurant in a fictional Middle Eastern city becomes a refuge during armed conflict. "V," a crime thriller, ranked second with $2.8 million, bringing its total to $89.6 million. Universal's "The Odyssey" climbed to third place, earning $1.9 million and reaching a cumulative $106.5 million.
"All Wishes Come True!" landed in fourth place, adding $1.7 million. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" re-entered the top five, grossing $800,000. As of September 21, 2026, mainland China's overall weekend grosses were a quiet $15 million, reflecting a pre-holiday slowdown before the National Day holiday. The year-to-date box office stands at $4.29 billion, a decrease of 29.2% compared to the same period in 2025.
