Home / Arts and Entertainment / Chinese Animated Blockbuster Ne Zha 2 Shatters Global Box Office Records
Chinese Animated Blockbuster Ne Zha 2 Shatters Global Box Office Records
22 Aug
Summary
- Ne Zha 2 becomes highest-grossing animated film of 2023 with $2.2 billion
- Limited US release in February 2023 grossed $20 million
- A24 to release English dub on August 22, 2023 to reach more US viewers
The Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 has made a major impact on the global box office, becoming the highest-grossing animated movie of 2023 with $2.2 billion in earnings since its release in January. This surpasses the $1.69 billion earned by the second-highest animated film, Inside Out 2.
While Ne Zha 2 found tremendous success overseas, its performance in the United States has been more limited so far. The film had a small theatrical release in the US in February 2023, grossing around $20 million. However, the hit sequel is now poised to reach a wider American audience thanks to a new English dub being released by A24 on August 22, 2023.
"This is an important movie because it is creating that global cultural bridge," said actress Michelle Yeoh, who voices the character of Ne Zha's mother in the English version. "We need more stories from different parts of the world."
The Ne Zha films draw from a rich tapestry of Chinese mythology, philosophy, and literature, which may present a learning curve for some US moviegoers unfamiliar with these cultural references. But the film's director, known professionally as Jiaozi, is confident that the story's universal themes of friendship, family, and heroism will resonate with audiences worldwide.
