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Hollywood has been the global capital of filmmaking for over a century. Even in international industries, American movies reign supreme. Since 1912, the highest-grossing movie of each year has been an American film. This dominant track record has led to the steady decline of international film industries as countries lost their confidence in competing in box office sales. This pattern is likely going to come to an end as a Chinese animated movie is looking to blow all other movies out of the water. Ne Zha 2 has taken China by storm and could lead a more progressive movement in international cinema industries.
American films have a large grasp of the international industry. While other markets, such as Bollywood in India and Nollywood in Nigeria, are also large, they do not have Hollywood’s global power. It was projected that the US film industry made around 92 billion dollars in revenue, which has steadily increased over the past 20 years. Hollywood studios have a large grasp on the industry, and many films are also filmed on US soil. In 2022, a study showed that the US held 7 of the 10 most popular cities to film movies. London, Paris, and Toronto were the only non-USA cities to crack the top 10. Overall, the United States film industry is very deep-rooted and strong. Led by the big five studios, finding other international industries competing globally with the United States markets is very hard.
Ne Zha 2 has been a critical success unlike any seen in the international film industry. The movie has grossed over $2 billion, making it the 5th highest-grossing movie ever. These revenue numbers put it only behind the Avatar movies, The Titanic, and Avengers: Endgame. These sales are also without a full international release, as European and Asian releases are still planned throughout the spring. Its quick rise to prominence caused it to become China’s highest-grossing film in the first 2 months of its release. It also became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, surpassing Pixar’s Inside Out 2. With most of its sales only coming from the Chinese market, there is still room for the film to gain an even more significant following. The success of this film could also lead to stronger courage in China and the development of its dominant film industry. In response to recent tariffs implemented by the USA, China responded with multiple actions and proposals, one of which conceited the film industry directly. The specific proposal proposed a reduction in the import of US movies. This could open a large amount of market space in China, the world’s second-largest film market, for the sales of domestic films.
While China has had the most successful international film of all time, they are not the only global industry that could start encroaching on Hollywood’s historic dominance. Bollywood and Nollywood make 2.1 billion and 590 million dollars annually, respectively. While these markets generate mass production, they still lack the infrastructure to produce globally and earn high profits on most films. Ne Zha 2 is an excellent reminder of how anyone can enter the entertainment industry with the right product. Over the next few years, it will be interesting to see how China will follow this all-time success.
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