'Ne Zha 2' ready to soar globally with tickets in hot demand

As "Ne Zha 2," the animated film setting China's box office ablaze, made its way to international cinemas, tickets have become hot commodities recently.

Social media buzzed with frustration as eager fans tried to secure IMAX seats, only to find the best spots were already taken. In the U.S., even major chains like AMC adjusted their schedules to accommodate the film's unexpected demand, adding late-night and even midnight screenings in New York and Los Angeles.

With a domestic score of 8.1 on IMDb before the film's full release, the anticipation is palpable. The Chinese animated film has earned praise for its stunning visual effects, intricate storytelling, and the sheer ambition of its production. The film boasts more than 1,900 special effects shots and over 10,000 elements – testament to the sheer scale of the project, which involved 138 animation companies across China.

"In Manhattan, for example, two or three of the city's seven or eight AMC theaters are showing 'Ne Zha 2.' The overall number of screenings is not high, but attendance is strong," said Jiang Xiangxiang, a young film critic studying at Columbia University in New York.

Noting the film's high IMDb score, which highlights its beautiful special effects and sincere production, Jiang mentioned that many local viewers are curious about how such a masterpiece was created in just five years. Jiang said, "I believe 'Ne Zha 2' will continue to grow its box office overseas."

"Ne Zha 2" will go on general release in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, and in the U.S. and Canada on Friday. Many in Australia and New Zealand have already experienced the film in limited preview screenings, which have seen sold-out crowds in major cities.

Meanwhile, in China, the excitement over "Ne Zha 2" continues to soar. As of Wednesday noon, its ongoing blockbuster run has already amassed over 9.2 billion yuan (about $1.3 billion) and attracted over 187 million viewers – making it the fifth highest-grossing animated film globally and the only non-Hollywood animated film in the top 5 box office, according to box office tracker Dengta Data.

Chinese films released overseas have built new bridges for exchanges between China and the rest of the world, opening a new window for the world to see China, Guo Jiakun, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Wednesday.