‘Zootopia 2’ Stuns Box Office, Dethrones ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ in China
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Disney’s animated sequel, Zootopia 2, has delivered a stunning upset at teh Chinese box office, unexpectedly reclaiming the number one spot more than a month after its initial release. The resurgence of the film comes as a surprise, as it wasn’t propelled by a new major premiere, but rather by its own momentum.
Unexpected Turnaround for Animated Hit
On January 1, 2025, Zootopia 2 surged back to the top of the charts in China, generating $15 million in revenue for the day – a remarkable 775% increase compared to its earnings just one week prior. This performance pushed Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment in James Cameron’s blockbuster franchise, into second place with $11.7 million.
the animated sequel continued its dominance on January 2, adding another $11.5 million to its total,bringing its cumulative earnings to $595.7 million.This figure now positions Zootopia 2 as the tenth highest-grossing film of all time in China, and notably, the second highest-grossing Hollywood film in the country. Industry analysts predict the film will surpass the $632.1 million earned by Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Disney’s Animated Success Story
The success of Zootopia 2 extends beyond its current run. The film has already become Disney’s highest-grossing animated classic in history, exceeding the $1.45 billion amassed by Frozen 2 in 2019. The question now is how high the film’s ceiling will be. One analyst noted that breaking into the overall Top 10 all-time list – currently held at $1.671.5 billion by Jurassic World – is not out of the question.
‘Avatar’ Faces Challenges in China
Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash has accumulated $132.7 million in China to date. According to sources, it is increasingly likely that this film will be the lowest-grossing entry in the Avatar saga within the country. For context,the first Avatar film earned $262.1 million, while Avatar: The Way of Water grossed $245.9 million.
The unexpected success of Zootopia 2 highlights the evolving dynamics of the Chinese box office and the enduring appeal of animated films to Chinese audiences.
Hear’s a breakdown answering the “Why, who, what, and How” questions, turning the update into a substantive news report:
What: Disney’s animated sequel, Zootopia 2, experienced a dramatic resurgence at the Chinese box office, overtaking Avatar: fire and Ash as the number one film. It has become Disney’s highest-grossing animated film ever, reaching the tenth highest-grossing film of all time in China.
Who: The key players are Disney (the studio behind Zootopia 2), james Cameron (director of the Avatar franchise), and Chinese audiences who drove the unexpected box office success. Industry analysts are also commenting on the trends.
Why: zootopia 2‘s success is attributed to strong word-of
