Hollywood premiere turned into cultural fervor

The Hollywood premiere of Chinese mythology inspired animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 — the only Asian movie to be listed among the world's top 30 highest-grossing films of all time — transformed the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles into a venue for vibrant celebration of Chinese culture over the weekend.

Featuring a dragon dance, martial arts performances and a showcase of Chinese intangible cultural heritage, the event on Saturday drew an international audience to the iconic location on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ne Zha 2 is the sequel of the 2019 animated sensation Ne Zha, which grossed 5 billion yuan ($684 million) and topped the country's box-office charts. Already a runaway hit in China, the sequel is expected to embrace huge success in the Oceania and North American markets.

As of Monday, Ne Zha 2, which was released on Jan 29 in China, grossed over 8.3 billion yuan at the combined box office, including presales in China. It has surpassed the $935 million earned by Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the United States, which was until now the highest-grossing film in a single market globally.

Ne Zha 2 is scheduled for release in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea on Thursday, one day ahead of its release in the US and Canada, according to Beijing-based CMC Pictures, the film's overseas distributor in the region.

Georges Chamchoum, executive director of the Asian World Film Festival, expressed deep appreciation for the cultural evolution of Chinese cinema, noting that the industry has shifted from old-fashioned productions to a more diverse and open expression of the country's culture.

"I think China has been doing forever good movies. It's good to see that China is more open to show other kinds of movies, because a movie is the reflection of a country," Chamchoum told China Daily.