US EditionChinese Film ‘Ne Zha 2,’ Highest-Grossing Film Of 2025, Opens In U.S. Theaters
Ne Zha 2, grossing over $2 billion worldwide, explores themes of identity and acceptance while setting new benchmarks in Chinese animation, now reaching broader audiences with an English dub.
- The animated Chinese film Ne Zha 2 opened in U.S. theaters on August 22, 2025, distributed by A24 with an English dub featuring Michelle Yeoh.
- Ne Zha 2's U.S. release follows its January 2025 Chinese debut and builds on the original 2019 film's success amid waning Chinese interest in U.S. blockbusters.
- The film, based on ancient Chinese mythology, grossed over $2 billion mostly from China, sold more than 300 million tickets, and received praise for its ambitious animation and storytelling.
- Critics such as New York Times’ Maya Phillips highlighted the film’s ambitious nature and the impressive craftsmanship of its animation, while others praised its striking visuals and intricate storytelling.
- Ne Zha 2’s success signals China's growing cinematic independence and A24 aims to broaden its global impact by expanding the film’s reach in Western markets.
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The animated mega-hit Ne Zha 2 is back in theaters, with a very different message than the original movie
Ne Zha 2 stands as 2025’s biggest box-office hit worldwide, though the bulk of its theatrical revenue so far has come from China. By giving it a wider Western release on Aug. 22, via an English dub featuring Michelle Yeoh, A24 is aiming to broaden the film’s reach and solidify its impact on the worldwide market. That will give a much bigger audience a chance to consider how different the hit sequel's messages are from the original movie's.
10 Stellar Movies To Watch After Ne Zha II From Chinese Animation Studios
Ne Zha II is the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and thanks to a narrowed film market, you’re only now learning about it. You see, the film debuted earlier this year in February to a limited US release, then A24 bought it for distribution and was finally getting a wide release. But Ne Zha II is not an outlier of Chinese Animation; instead, it’s the best example of how animators in China have adapted Chinese mythology into Eastern fan…
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