China National Film Museum screens the movie promo of "Home Coming" in Beijing, China, October 7, 2022. /CFP
Patriotic blockbusters once again dominated China's box office during the National Day holiday, with the highly praised "Home Coming" leading the charge.
The movie is a drama about Chinese diplomats delving into a rebel force-controlled area in a war-torn African nation to lead 125 Chinese citizens safely back to China. It has raked in over 1 billion yuan (about $144 million) in ticket sales as of last Friday afternoon after a week of release.
"Home Coming" in a cinema in Shanghai, China, September 28, 2022. /CFP
The earnings account for 68 percent of China's total box office revenue of nearly 1.5 billion yuan generated during the seven-day holiday, according to major movie data platform Maoyan.
The film has proven to be a genuine hit with audiences, with an average rating of 9.6 out of 10 on the ticketing app Maoyan. "Home Coming" is the latest blockbuster to score a hit in China by playing on patriotic themes. A slew of heart-pounding films, including "Wolf Warrior," "The Battle at Lake Changjin," "The Eight Hundred," and "My People, My Country" have amassed big bucks in recent years.
Directed by Tony Chan and starring Li Bingbing, Feng Shaofeng and Lin Yongjian, the Chinese drama film "Ordinary Hero" came in second with $16.6 million.
Rounding out the top three, the Chinese comedy "Give Me Five" opened with $11.03 million during the holiday.