“Venom: The Last Dance” has made a significant impact at the Chinese box office, achieving the second-largest opening weekend for a Hollywood film this year. The third installment in the “Venom” franchise earned RMB 221 million ($31.1 million) during the traditional Friday to Sunday weekend, as reported by Artisan Gateway. Its total five-day cumulative, including an earlier Wednesday release, reached $45.9 million.
The film dominated the box office throughout its release, topping the charts for all five days. Saturday was particularly strong, with over 150,000 screenings and earnings exceeding $14 million. Imax reported that it contributed approximately $6 million, accounting for about 14% of the film’s total earnings in China.
This opening weekend is only surpassed by “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which debuted with $44.6 million in March. “Venom: The Last Dance” outperformed “Alien: Romulus,” which opened at $26.2 million and later grossed over $100 million in China. According to Sony Pictures, this film marks the highest opening for a Hollywood superhero movie in China since “Spider-Man: Far From Home” in 2019.
Despite a trend of Chinese audiences shunning many Hollywood films in recent years, “Venom: The Last Dance” received praise for its emotional depth compared to its predecessors. Social media users appreciated its portrayal of an anti-hero.
The original “Venom,” released in late 2018, grossed an impressive $262 million in China, surpassing its North American earnings. The sequel, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” was set for release but was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
In second place at the box office this weekend was “The Unseen Sister,” a suspense-drama about an actress facing anonymous threats and reconnecting with a long-lost sister.
Directed by Midi Z from Myanmar and adapted from a novel by Zhang Yueran, it earned RMB 71.2 million ($10 million) in just two days and stars popular actress Zhao Liying.
The film will make its international debut at the Tokyo International Film Festival starting Monday.
Patriotic war film “The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death” secured third place in its fourth weekend with earnings of $4.6 million, bringing its total to $161 million since its release on September 30.
Additionally, the re-release of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” earned $4.1 million during its opening weekend, while Japanese animated film “Look Back” opened in fifth place with $4 million. This animated feature explores the friendship between two girls from contrasting backgrounds united by their love for manga.
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