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The Chinese animated movieNe Zha 2may not sound familiar to mainstream audiences worldwide, but it has quietly become one of the highest-grossing films ever. It has earned over $2 billion, passingStar Wars: The Force Awakensto take fifth place on the all-time box office list.
Directed by self-taught animator Jiaozi, the movie was released on July 03, 2025, during Lunar New Year, China’s biggest holiday, which lasts for two weeks.Ne Zha 2is seen as the Chineseanimationindustry’s declaration of its arrival on the global stage. It proves that they can not only challenge legacy studios likeDisney, Pixar,and DreamWorks but also beat them at their own game.
Ne Zha 2Breaks Global Box Office Records
Chinese Animation Movie DethronesInside Out 2
Ne Zha 2has made history, earning RMB 14.8 billion ($2.06 billion) in China,per Varietyand Maoyan Entertainment. Meanwhile, its biggest competition,Captain America: Brave New World, was widely considered mediocre, which makesNe Zha 2’s box office domination unsurprising. With a budget of $80 million, it became the most expensive Chinese animated movie ever made. However, the risk proved worthwhile, as the film had earned over 25 times its production cost. It has broken several records, including:
Who Or What Is Ne Zha?
Nezha: The demon child churns the sea, or simplyNe Zha 2,is a sequelto the 2019 filmNe Zha. The titular character is a deity in Chinese mythology, often portrayed as a mischievous yet misunderstood figure. His story is primarily told inThe Investiture of the Godsby Xu Zhonglin, which serves as the main source material for these films. Ne Zha’s story has been adapted many times, with one of the most famous versions being the 1979 filmNe Zha Conquers the Dragon King. The character is hugely popular in Chinese culture, appearing in movies, video games, and more.
Is There ANe Zha 1?
The animation studio Chengdu Coco Cartoon brought Ne Zha’s story to life in 3D with their 2019 filmNe Zha. The movie drew inspiration from Pixar and DreamWorks, likely influenced by themassive success ofKung Fu Pandain China. Yet, it avoided being a cheap imitation and instead became a massive hit. It earned $742 million on a $22 million budget, making it the fourth highest-grossing Chinese film ever. Naturally, as in Hollywood, a sequel was inevitable.
Why WasNe Zha 2So Expensive?
The sequel took five years to make, just like the first film. Its budget jumped from $20 million to $80 million, and the output clearly shows. With three times as many characters, the film feels bigger and more intense. One standout moment is a massive battle in a village against a demon army, where demons literally rain down from the sky. The director told CCTV(via CNN)that he first asked international teams for help with key scenes, but their work didn’t meet expectations.
Sure, they might be a top-tier studio, but they could be using third-rate staff on our project. So, after outsourcing, many of the shots didn’t turn out as we wanted, and we ended up bringing them back.
The production was a massive undertaking, with over 4,000 animators — all from China — working on the film. Work was split between 138 animation studios, and just one complex sequence in the third act reportedly took an entire year to complete. WhenNe Zha 2finally premiered, the demand was so high that many people couldn’t get tickets. Theaters added extra screenings, some just minutes apart, yet even midnight shows sold out. TheLunar New Year releasetiming must’ve surely helped too.
What IsNe Zha 2About?
The first movie is about a powerful orb that gets split into two: the good Spirit Pearl and the cursed Demon Orb. The Spirit Pearl was supposed to be reborn as a hero, but a jealous disciple steals it and gives it to a dragon prince instead. Meanwhile, Ne Zha is born from the Demon Orb. Despite his dark fate, his parents attempt to raise him with love. He grows up wild and feared, but then he makes a friend in Ao Bing, the Spirit Pearl’s reincarnation. In the end, he embraces his parents’ love and teams up with Ao Bing to save the village from a dragon attack.
Ne Zha 2picks up right where the first film left off. Since Ne Zha and Ao Bing lose their bodies at the end of the first movie, Taiyi Zhenren creates a new one for Ne Zha. Sadly, Ao Bing is destroyed while saving his friends. Ne Zha sets off on a quest to find a powerful artifact that can bring Ao Bing back. Meanwhile, the dragons continue their plan to escape the Dragon Palace, and the Immortal Daoist Wang andhis demon huntershave their own secret schemes.
What MadeNe Zha 2Such A Big Hit?
The film’s effect is similar to howshows likeJackie Chan Adventuresintroduce the Western audience to Chinese mythology, though not always accurately.Ne Zha 2gives a more authentic take, even with some modern twists. For those interested in actual East Asian mythology, it’s a great starting point. The animation feels distinct, as it mixes traditional Chinese art styles with fluid movement, and some scenes look evenbetter than Pixar or DreamWorksdespite costing way less. This makes the action sequences, full of martial arts and magic, even more bombastic.
The movie isn’t perfect. Some fans think it’s too long and would be better if it were under two hours instead of 2.5. But its sheer scale and energy overshadow its flaws. As of Jun 11, 2025,Ne Zha 2is just a few hundred million dollars away from surpassing all-time box office giants likeAvatar,Avatar: The Way of Water,Avengers: Endgame, andTitanic. The film received a limited theatrical release outside of China starting in mid-February. If it continues to gain momentum, thisChinese animated blockbustercould soon dethrone Hollywood’s biggest hits.
