News Analysis: China’s weak summer box office sparks soul-searching in film industry

by Xinhua writer Zhang Yunlong
BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) — China’s 2024 summer box office to date has fallen short of industry expectations, reporting a 44 percent decline from 2023 figures.
This downturn has sent ripples through the world’s second-largest film market, prompting introspection and analysis from industry insiders.
However, beneath the surface of disappointing numbers lies a drive for innovation and resilience that may shape the future of Chinese cinema.
DATA DIVE
By early Sunday morning, the summer box office period — June 1 to Aug. 31 — had amassed 10 billion yuan (1.40 billion U.S. dollars), with cinema admissions totaling 243 million, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan. This performance has failed to match the same period last year, when revenue came in at approximately 18 billion yuan and cinema attendance totaled 440 million, according to Lai Li, a market analyst at Maoyan.
Season frontrunner “Successor,” a comedic offering, has grossed over 3.13 billion yuan to secure its place as the year’s third-highest earner. Crime thriller “A Place Called Silence” follows with a respectable 1.34 billion yuan, ranking sixth in the yearly box office charts.
Chen Jin, an analyst at movie data platform Beacon, notes that the 2024 summer season has seen the release or scheduling of around 140 films, matching last summer’s total. This data suggests that the issue is not the quantity of releases but their reception.
Despite the overall decline, the summer slate has showcased a rich tapestry of genres, including comedy, crime, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, romance and drama. Comedies have performed exceptionally well, raking in over 4 billion yuan to date.
This success extends a winning streak for Chinese comedies, following the triumphs of Jia Ling’s weight-loss hit “YOLO,” Han Han’s racing comedy sequel “Pegasus 2” and Zhang Yimou’s “Article 20” earlier this year.
INNOVATION
Dong Wenxin, a film industry observer and cinema manager, points out that multiple anticipated films have underperformed as filmmakers are prioritizing innovation over safe bets.
A case in point is “Decoded,” Chen Sicheng’s first foray into the code-breaking genre. Chen is widely known as the director of the “Detective Chinatown” comedic blockbuster series, and as the executive producer of crime thriller hits like “Lost in the Stars,” last summer’s 3.5-billion-yuan earner.
Pulling in 322 million yuan in 17 days — a figure that falls short of market expectations — “Decoded” has garnered acclaim for blending auteur-level storytelling with blockbuster-scale visual effects.
With this film, Chen is “stepping out of his commercial-genre comfort zone and taking creative risks, which is commendable,” according to Dong.
China Film Critics Association President Rao Shuguang has referred to “Decoded” as “a breakthrough in genre expansion for Chinese films and an active attempt by the film industry to respond to changes.”
Adding to the season’s innovative offerings, “Upstream” from actor-director Xu Zheng takes a comedic yet poignant look at food delivery workers. It follows a middle-aged programmer who, after losing his job, pivots to food delivery work to keep his family afloat.
Industry watchers like Dong have lauded the film for its nimble balance of laughs and realism, serving up a relatable portrait of the workforce.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Rao has observed what he describes as a structural shift in the market. “The audience base is expanding into third, fourth and fifth-tier cities — smaller cities,” he said, also highlighting an increasing emphasis on “emotional value” in films.
Despite challenges, including competition from alternative forms of entertainment like short-form videos and micro-dramas, industry observers remain optimistic.
“Chinese cinema must face these new challenges head-on and continue to innovate to ensure a bright future,” according to Rao.
Analysts note that the willingness of established filmmakers to step out of their comfort zones, along with the industry’s ability to cater to a broadening audience base, suggests a resilience that could help weather current challenges.
In a related development, a three-month-long nationwide film consumption season was launched this month, with local authorities rolling out consumer incentives like instant ticket discounts and shopping district perks to boost China’s box office growth. ■