'Ne Zha 2' captivates North America audiences, including Oscar judges

According to data from online movie platforms, the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" earned $3.1 million on its North American opening day, ranking 4th on the North American daily box office chart. The film officially premiered in North America on February 14, setting new two-decade records for pre-sale box-office earnings and screening volumes among Chinese-language films in the region.

"Ne Zha 2" has amassed a total box office of 11.75 billion yuan (around $1.62 billion), including pre-sales and overseas earnings, as of 6 p.m. on February 16, securing it a place among the top 11 highest-grossing films worldwide. It now ranks as the second highest-grossing animated film of all time globally, trailing only "Inside Out 2."

Audiences have widely praised the film for its rich Chinese cultural elements, breathtaking animation, and high production quality, often noting that it provides an enriching opportunity to explore Chinese culture.

"This is something that's for all ages. You can learn something from [it], and maybe get insight into a culture. There are moments in the animation that are really striking visually. And the animation, you can tell the techniques behind it all are very beautiful. Every cinema I've seen has been packed. So, there's obviously a hunger for films like this and films to learn more about other cultures," said Zac, a U.S. moviegoer.

Oscar judge Sheila Sofian also expressed her admiration for the film after watching it in Los Angeles, commending its cutting-edge production design and compelling storytelling.

"I'm so impressed on so many different levels with the accomplishments of this particular film. Because I had already seen the previous film, I was sort of expecting the same level, which was brilliant. But this grows even higher in terms of production design, sound design, and music. The story itself was so complicated, and all the twists and turns kept me guessing the entire time. So I was very engaged, sort of on the edge of my seat the whole time," she said.

Sofian also voiced her hope to see "Ne Zha 2" compete at next year's Oscars, where she would have the opportunity to vote for it.

Another Oscar judge, Alan Ellasof, described the Chinese animated film as a major achievement, praising its action design, emotional appeal, and philosophical elements.

"Ne Zha 2" is currently screening in 770 theaters across over 400 cities in 48 U.S. states, as well as in 42 cities across 10 provinces in Canada.

In Oceania, "Ne Zha 2" was officially released on February 13, with screenings in 124 cinemas – setting a 20-year record for the largest number of screenings for a Chinese-language film in the region.

"Ne Zha 2" is the first film to exceed $1 billion in a single market and the first non-Hollywood film to surpass $1 billion in global box-office earnings.